Missions Collide
by MNGstrikesback
Summary: Full summary inside, guys. LOSTALIAS worlds collide...made by Jaye Black and Lils Evans aka used to be Black'n'Evans and our guest, Courtny Potter! Rated T just in case, guys. Don't freak out! We're only 13!
1. The Mission

**READ THIS BEFORE THE CHAPTER OR YOU WON'T GET THE SODDING STORY! **

**Jaye: FYI, people, I am bold and Lily is **normal font. **And our guest writer (next chappie) is **_italic. _**We do this so you can see our unique writing talents, and so we can remember who wrote what. **

Lils: Yeah…unique writing talents and all that…but anyway, read the summary below, monkeys!

**Sydney Bristow and Michael Vaughn are sent on a mission to find and bring back a mystery agent, crashing on a deserted island on the way **(what a trip, eh?)** When they get there, they find a small group of plane crash survivors...  
Meanwhile, Charlie, Claire, Jack, and the rest have been stranded for fifty days. Claire is majorly depressed after losing her baby, and it seems like the only person she will open up to is Charlie. Will Syd and Vaughn be able to save the castaways, or will they become stranded as well?**

Lils: ONCE AGAIN! I AM IN THE REGULAR FONT! This is a split account and therefore a split story. It's fun…Jaye writes a paragraph or two and then either our guest writer or me continues it! So get with the program! I'm sure you'll love the story once you understand!

* * *

CHAPTER ONE 

**The Mission**

**Agent Sydney Bristow strode into the office, chatting with her half-sister, Nadia. **

**"Sydney, Eric and I were going to go bowling again tonight—would you like to come?" Nadia asked. But Sydney wasn't listening anymore.**

This was because they had just walked into the briefing room to find Julian Sark sitting there, without handcuffs.

Sydney put an arm out to stop Nadia from walking any further into the room. Her eyes flew from wall to wall, then back to Sark, who had remained as calm as ever.

She opened her mouth, maybe to raise some sort of alarm, but no words came out.

**"Sydney? Sydney, what's—"**

**"Hey, Syd, we have a problem," came the voice of Michael Vaughn from behind them.**

**"Yeah, I think I figured that out," Sydney replied. "What is _Sark_ doing here without _handcuffs_?"**

**"He says that he's on our side now."**

**"And you believe him?"**

**"What do you think, Syd?" **

"No..." Sydney said darkly. "I don't trust him either." Remorse filled her. She glared at Sark, who had his eyes down, staring at his hands. "This was Sloane, wasn't it?"

"But..." Nadia whispered, sounding hurt, but Sydney didn't regret it.

"Where is he?"

**"I believe you are referring to me, am I right, Sydney?" **

**Sydney, Nadia, and Vaughn turned to see Arvin Sloane standing behind them. Sydney nodded.**

**"What is Sark doing here without handcuffs?" she repeated her question for the second time in as many minutes.**

**"Mr. Sark has valuable information on the whereabouts of a crashed plane that had an agent of ours on it," Sloane explained. "This agent was almost arrested while carrying out a mission, and needs to be extracted before the survivors are found."**

**"Hey, Syd, Vaughn, Nadia," Eric Weiss called from the other side of the room. **

**Nadia, Sydney, and Vaughn took their seats, soon followed by Sloane. **

"Whose our man?" Vaughn asked.

"Woman, actually," Marshall said. "Kate. You remember Kate, right? You know... hey, Vaughn...when are we going out to lunch?"

"Can't you just...stick to the subject?" Eric sighed.

**"Um, yeah. So Syd and Vaughn, you guys are going to this island—uncharted, which means that no one's ever found it before—you know what it means, but um yes. You guys are going to the island, and you're bringing Sark with you since he's the only one who knows where it is."**

**"We have to take _him_?" Sydney asked, revolted. "Why can't he just give us the coordinates!"**

**"Because I would like to come along," Sark said in his accented voice. "Agent Austen and I had quite a past."**

"All the more reason you stay behind..." Sydney said, casting him a dark glance he returned with cool defiance.

"I don't see where this is up to you," he said softly. Vaughn cleared his throat warningly, glancing in Sydney's direction.

"We should get going," he said in his casually demanding way. Sydney nodded, her face still hot and bright red. Behind her, she could hear Sark pushing in his chair and following them out the door.

**As they boarded the helicopter that would take them to the island, Sydney was muttering about how traitorous jerks shouldn't be allowed to come on dangerous missions. Vaughn did not object to these ramblings.**

**"Can't believe they're getting _him_ to come with us," she snarled. "Why him? Why not find someone else that knows the coordinates?"**

**"That would be because no one else does," Sark remarked.**

**"I would appreciate it if you wouldn't talk Sark," Sydney shot. "I can make this _very_ uncomfortable for you. Trust me. It would be a pleasure."**

Sark's jaw seemed to snap shut, and his eyes strayed to the vibrating metal floor of the helicopter. For hours it was silent. Sydney squirmed.

"Can't hold still, can you?" Vaughn laughed. Sydney smiled at Vaughn. She knew how hard it must be for him to have Sark on the mission. Shelooked at him with grateful eyes.

"Sorry...a little jittery...now. Sark. What can you tell us about this agent on the islandof yours?"

**"We-e-ell," Sark drew out the syllables. "She's very—"**

**The helicopter lurched. Sydney, Vaughn, and Sark jerked forward in their seats. The helicopter started spiraling through the air. **

**"We're going down!" Sydney yelled. **

Vaughn bared his teeth against another lurch. Heavy red lights began to flash as the plane spiraled ever downward. Sark and Sydney were thrown against one wall, Sydney falling to the floor and Sark ending up against one of the few slit-windows.

"We're he-e-aded f-f-for the ocean..." he shouted with difficulty from the intense vibrations of the chopper.

"A-a-according to our coordinates...w-we're not f-far from...a land mass!" Vaughn stated.

**"C-can we s-swim f-fr-from wh-where we cr-crash?" Sydney yelled. **

**"T-that de-depends o-on wh-whether we sur-survive the crash!" Sark shouted back.**

Sydney gave him a look, pulled herself off the floor with some difficulty, and fell into Vaughn. He put his arms around her as they hit the water. She opened her mouth and screamed, salty water pouring into her. The helicopter itself suddenly became like a soda can under a shoe, and caved in to the water. What amazed her was how fast it happened.

One second she felt safe in Vaughn's arms, the next she was ripped away from him, spiraling through the water, mouth still open, arms flailing and searching for—

_Clunk!_

She hit the side of the crumpled walls and pulled herself out into the open ocean. She looked franticly through the water for any trace of Vaughn or Sark.

**"Hey!" she heard someone yell in the distance. "There's someone in the water!"**

**_Help us_, Sydney thought desperately as the darkness closed in on her.**

**

* * *

**

**"Wake up, wake up, c'mon, wake up," someone was murmuring, as they pounded on Vaughn's chest. He sputtered and sat up. Two guys were standing there.**

**"Charlie, go tell Kate that he woke up," the darker haired guy said. He turned to Vaughn, "Are you all right?"**

**"Where's Sydney?" Vaughn gasped.**

**"Sydney…? Oh. She's with Kate and Claire; she just woke up a few minutes ago. I'm Jack."**

**"Michael Vaughn," Vaughn said. "Can I go see Sydney?"**

**"Well, you're probably going to need her to come to you," Jack said. "Because if you move, those stitches are going to split." **

"Vaughn?" Sydney tried not to look at his wound...or the stitches. Her hands clutched sand and her face felt crusted from the salt water. She looked at the one named Jack. "Where are we?"

A small young man standing off to the side laughed full-heartedly. He was short, sandy haired, with a rounded nose and had visible scars running around his neck. "Oh that's good!" he cackled, and nudged a girl with dark, curly hair beside him. She only grinned slightly, examining Sydney. Her eyes were dark and puzzled, arms crossed tightly about her person - her expression reminded Sydney of something...

"Sark."

"What?" Jack looked at her with his face scrunched up to the sun.

"Not what..." Vaughn sputtered from the sand; he had his head raised just above his shoulders, hands rolled into fists. "Who."

* * *

**Sark woke up to see—nothing. Nothing but blue. Was he still in the water? Oh, wait—there was a cloud; he was looking at the sky. He sat up and looked around him. There were a few people standing around something—or someone—further down the beach. **

**No one seemed to be around him. **

**"Oh are you up?" A distinctly British voice called from behind him.**

**He turned. A young woman with limp blonde hair stood behind him. He nodded.**

**"I'm Claire," she continued.**

**"Julian Sark," Sark said.**

"Sark..." The woman hummed over the name. "You - you know - there are people lookin' for you...down at the beach."

Sark couldn't help but frown. "Oh really?"

"Yeah. A man and a woman...they were in bad shape."

"They were? But they're alive?"

"Yes. I'm glad, too. Were they your friends?"

Sark didn't reply. At that moment, a crowd of people made their way over to him.

**"Sark!" Sydney yelled. "Was this where we were supposed to be? I hope you're happy with yourself, because our radios are shot, the helicopter is wrecked, and we're STRANDED."**

**Sark stared at her for a moment.**

"Sydney…do you really expect me to answer yes to that question? Of course I had no intention of crashing here, and to tell you the truth, once we landed I would have been – "

"Wait…" Claire said, holding out her hands. "W-who are you people?"

**Charlie got a concerned look on his face, "Claire, did you—"**

**"Relax, Charlie, I didn't forget everything again," Claire said softly. "But—who are you? And how did you know about the island?"**

**Sydney took a deep, calming breath. "I'm going to go run," she said shakily. "It'll calm my nerves."**

**She took off before Vaughn could protest. **

**

* * *

**

Halfway down the beach, Sydney was stopped by the woman with curly black hair and deep, mystifying eyes.

"I know you're from the CIA!" the woman announced. Sydney stopped, stunned.

"Huh?"

"I'm the agent. I'm Kate." Kate ran a hand through her hair, her eyes swelling. With a huff she looked down at her feet, sniffling. Sydney was confused.

**"What's wrong?" she asked.**

**"Nothing," Kate said, rubbing her eyes. "It's just…I didn't think anyone would come for us. I thought that…I mean, we've been here for almost fifty days…"**

**THAT shocked Sydney.** "**Fifty days!"**

Kate nodded, pushing her hair from her face again as a hot breath of wind swept up the beach. Sydney looked over the woman, a million questions popping into her mind as she did.

"So," Kate said, "you didn't come here to rescue us…did you?"

"No," Sydney admitted. "Well…we were sent for you...and found you...just…not the way we wanted to."

Kate laughed dryly. "Your helicopter is…"

"Totaled."

"Well then…welcome to the island."

* * *

**Vaughn found Sark on the beach. "You planned this, didn't you?"**

**The younger man gave him a penetrating look. "How could I have planned a helicopter crash, Agent Vaughn?"**

**Vaughn clenched his teeth. "Sark, don't play innocent. When I search that helicopter, and I find that Artium device in the cockpit, you'll be sorry." **

Sark fixed his cool gaze at the surrounding ocean. Below them on the beach, several members of the crash scuttled by.

"They seem to have adjusted well," he commented.

"_Don't_ try to change the subject," Vaughn hissed sharply, and then flinched as his pain rattled through him from his crash injuries.

**"Well, Mr Vaughn, last time I checked," Sark drawled, "you Americans had a policy about—oh, what was it? Right, FREEDOM OF SPEECH." **

If Vaughn had possessed the ability to make the phrase "glaring daggers" a reality, he would have.

"Hmm…" Sark continued, placing an expression of bored thought on his face. "Perhaps you should call the doctor. He's down that way."

**Vaughn kept glaring. "Back to the changing of the subject, are we?"**

**Sark seemed to be trying to refrain himself from rolling his eyes. "No, actually, _we're_ back to the going of away, Agent Vaughn. Good bye."**

**Sark stood up, and soon found out that even though he was in pain, Vaughn sure could throw a good right hook when he felt like it.**

**"GAH!"**

"HEY!" Another voice called out. Vaughn turned his head to see "the doctor" running at him, eyes wide with concern for the man that had just been through a series of painful aerial stunts, and was lying at Vaughn's feet.

Vaughn suddenly felt weak from his excursion, and the sandy beach spiraled…"Hey, are you okay?" Vaughn nodded stiffly. "Well then…what did you do that for?"

"Jack, right?" asked Vaughn. The doctor nodded. "Just before you do anything…like assume this guy didn't deserve it…let me tell you something. Sark is a – "

"Vaughn?"

**"Hold on a second!"**

**"Uh—dude, you're bleeding," another voice said. "Bad. And dude—on the ground—you, uh, got a bit of, um, the other dude on ya."**

**Sark stared at the fa - horizontally challenged - man. **Before he could say anything, he was pulled roughly to his feet.

"Are you okay?" asked Jack. Sark nodded numbly, his entire face feeling as though it were on fire. "Good." He turned to Vaughn and told him to stay still…

"Vaughn…_what is going on_?" Sydney stepped forward, shoving the large man with curly hair out of her way – which wasn't exactly an easy task – and ran up between Sark, Vaughn, and Jack, the girl named Kate trailing behind her.

**"How about this," Kate said stepping in next to Jack, "we go to the caves, you meet everyone, and we can discuss this _later_." **

**She stressed the last word and eyed the three agents.**

**

* * *

**

The sun had set, the only light generating from the fire that was crackling in the center of the gathering. The gathering, arranged in a circle, consisted of all of the original crash members, along with the two CIA Agents and…Sark.

Sydney sat next to Kate and Vaughn, while Sark found a roomy spot next to a sullen-looking man with long, dark, blonde hair and unreadable eyes.

As soon as everyone had gotten settled, Kate stood up, addressing the circle of islanders that were all looked expectantly back up at her, most of them thinking they had better things to do than be part of a get-to-know-you-circle.

"Now…I know most of you are thinking you have a lot better things to do than be part of this…get-to-know-you-circle…**"**

**Cue the grumbles of agreement. **

**"BUT—we're doing it anyway. Get used to it. Say your name and something about you. I'm Kate. I'm from…well, all over. And…I've been here for almost fifty days."**

**"That don't count, Freckles," the sullen man drawled in a southern accent.**

**"Yeah, really!" Steve—or was it Scott? Syd couldn't remember—chimed.**

**"My name is Jack." Jack cut in smoothly, "I'm a doctor. I was flying here from my father's funeral. And well...I think we all know the rest." He looked down at his hands. "Charlie, you're next."**

**"Well, I'm Charlie Pace. I am the bassist for Driveshaft, and I wrote most of the songs with my brother, Liam."**

**"You're in Driveshaft!" Sydney gasped. "I LOVE Driveshaft! My sister and I listen to you all the time!"**

**Charlie smiled smugly and nodded. "Thank you to you and your sister." **His smile faded as his eyes drifted to the woman next to him. Sydney remembered her from the beach…Claire. The woman's bright blonde hair drifted in front of her eyes, eyes that were sunken with sadness.

"Claire…" A Korean woman spoke up. Her English was slow and steady, and she set a hand on the woman's shoulder. "Lost her – "

"No…" Claire shook her head. "It's okay." She raised herface to the CIA Agents. "I flew here…because someone told me I had to…and I lost my baby."

"I'm so sorry…" Sydney said softly.

"Don't be." Claire turned her head bitterly, and Charlie whispered something to her that neither Sydney or Vaughn could hear.

"I'm Michael," said a man over in the corner. "And this is my son, Walt." The boy waved.

And so went on the get-to-know-you-circle, until it was Sydney's turn.

**"My name is Sydney. I was born in Virginia and…I work at a…bank."**

**Vaughn smiled slightly. Sark rolled his eyes. Kate gave her a look that said, "So do I" in a sarcastic way.**

Jack looked between them, but said nothing.

"So…dude…" Hurley spoke up, waving a finger at where Sark was sitting, confined in his own thoughts next to Sawyer. "What's your story?"

Sark was silent, his hands clasped under his bruised chin. Sawyer laughed, and Sark's eyes slid darkly over to him…but he still didn't say anything.

"S'matter, son?" asked Sawyer laughingly. Kate sighed.

**"Ignore him," Vaughn shot. "He has nothing good to say. Poison is the only thing he gives."**

**Everyone stared at him. Vaughn sighed. "Never mind."**

Sark moaned through his teeth.

"No, it is him who has nothing good to say," he said accusingly.

"You know, the safe the weaponry was in was waterproof, shockproof – "

"Hey, hey…whoa…" Charlie stood up. "Weaponry? You…you guys had guns? Why…How?"

**Sydney dropped her head onto Vaughn's shoulder. "We…eh…Vaughn?"**

Vaughn did not seem to be listening; his eyes were still fixed angrily on Sark and that Sawyer, who were both wearing mockery all over their faces.

"Yes, tell them, Agent Vaughn." Sark ducked his head.

**"Agent?" Jack and Charlie said in unison, both raising eyebrows. **

**Vaughn groaned, still glaring at Sark. "Well, it all started one time at band camp…"**

**((A/N: Jaye: THAT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENED, MORONS! GET WITH THE PROGRAM!)) **

**Vaughn groaned, still glaring at Sark. "Well, to start with,** Sydney and I have something to tell you all."

"Oh gee. Here it comes…" Hurley flinched. "You guys have come to kill us all, haven't you?"

"No!" Sydney shook her head rapidly, trying to calm the circle down. "We're…CIA Agents."

An all-around gasp rattled through the gathering. Sark looked pleased.

**"Actually, Syd and I are the agents," Vaughn said, looking just as smug. "SARK over there is a world-wide terrorist."**

**A man in the circle with dark skin and hair looked away. More gasps filled the air.**

**"Oh, trust them, why don't you?" Sark said in his**((sexy))**accent.**

**"WE WILL!" Kate shot at him. Sark stopped dead, and both stared at each other.**

**"Well, Agent Austen, nice to see you again, too," Sark replied.**

Kate's face burned, and she took a furious step forward, catching him in the mouth with a hard punch; his second for the day.

"Kate!" Jack, Sun, and a few others yelped in surprise as Sark twisted and landed dangerously close to the fire. He kicked back, raising his eyes to Kate in shock.

"What was _that_ for?" Michael asked.

"_That_ was bloody impressive!" Charlie cheered.

**"Didn't I tell you that next time you stepped within twenty feet of me, you would pay, you scum?" Kate snarled.**

**"Die, scum, die!" Charlie yelped, jumping up and down.** For an instant, everyone stopped to stare at him. "Sorry…" he sat back down, with Claire shaking her head miserably.

"Why did you come after me?" Kate demanded, fists clenched, stepping forward again.

"Hey…_easy_ freckles…"

"You know, I never thought I'd say this, but Sawyer is right." Jack put his hands on his hips. "You mind telling us what's going on _before_ you kill him?"

"To be honest with you…no."

**"But _I_ will!" Sark yelped, rubbing his poor, aching, head. **

**"You little—" Kate shot, and then stormed off.**

**"Feisty as ever, I see," Sark said, extremely smug for someone who'd almost got himself burned to death.**

**Both Jack and Sawyer stared at him.**

"Well, all I can say is…nice punch," said Vaughn, earning himself a glare from Sark. Sydney, however, was not amused.

"Sark," she barked, getting up and pulling him off the ground. "What went on between you and Kate? She was…an Agent?"

Suddenly, the man with dark skin and curly black hair stood up. "Leave it to me to explain a few things, Sydney. You should know by now _he_ will tell you nothing but lies."

**"Yeah, I think I figured that out after six year—"**

**"HOW MANY BLOODY PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED IN THIS!" Charlie yelled, standing up again. Claire tugged him back down by the arm.**

**"Dude—shut up," Hurley—the horizontally challenged man—said.**

**"No—no, he's on to something," Jack said slowly. "Anyone else in on this...whatever it is?"**

No one responded. The others had all fallen into their own quiet murmurs. Jack sighed. "What are you talking about, Sayid?"

"When I was in the Guard, I worked with him." He threw Sark, who was still being supported by Sydney, a dirty look. "And did not know…until just before I left Sydney – "

Vaughn raised an eyebrow. " – Australia...that I was working with a terrorist. I thought it was strictly routine shipping and communications, nothing more. I did not think to investigate further, but if I had..." He trailed off, leaving his statement to the rest of the circle's imagination.

Sark laughed through his teeth. **"Shipping and communicat—oh, THAT'S good…"**

**"Shut. Up. You. Blasted. Pansy!" Charlie said, in a hushed voice.**

**"Oh, like you're one to talk, you git!" Claire said, playfully swatting him.**

"Can we _please_ get back to the subject?" Jack pleaded.

"Yeah well…before you do that…" Hurley seemed nervous. "I have to go."

"I will look for Kate," announced Sun, and the two of them left the circle, plowing through the jungle.

Sydney watched them go, still holding Sark. "Well?" she pressed.

"That's the only involvement I had," admitted Sayid. "And I helped unknowingly and certainly against my will."

Sark lifted his head. "You know why I chose you and your little company? Because your will is easy to bend."

"Are you calling him stupid?" Vaughn shot.

**"Oh, no, of _course not_," Sark said sarcastically.**

**Vaughn jumped up, but Jack held out a hand to stop him. **

**"SIT. The stitches are going to come out if you keep trying to kill people!"**

Vaughn clenched his fists, and opened his mouth as if to say something...but at that instant...

**A high pitched whistle that sounded like a toy locomotive, followed by a booming, grinding sound went through the jungle.**

**"What the heck was that!" Sydney asked urgently.**

**"Once again—ha, that's a good one!" Charlie snickered.**

**"SHUT UP CHARLIE!" Everyone yelled at him. **

**Charlie, looking like a slapped dog, sat back down. **

**"It's never been this close before," Michael whispered.**

**"No—oh my God, Kate!" Jack yelled, before taking off sprinting into the jungle. **

**"Wait for me!" Syd shouted, dashing after him.**

Charlie put his head down.

"Terrific."

* * *

Kate sat, panting. She ran a hand through her hair and pushed on her eyes, stubbornly stopping the tears that were threatening to come. She closed her eyes and sat there until she heard something coming toward her.

"Sun…what are you doing here?"

**"I came…to find you," Sun answered in her slow, calculated English. "I was…worried."**

**Kate sighed. "I'm fine. Sark is just an as—"**

**Aaaaaaaaaaaaaoooooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhh! **

**"Oh, perfect!" Kate yelped, jumping up. "C'mon, let's get back to the beach before that THING eats us!" **

**Both women took off running from the Security System.**

**

* * *

**

**"Hey, where'd Charlie go?" Claire suddenly asked. **

**"The VH1 reject—missin' again," Sawyer said in a bored drawl.**

"Don't call him that!" Claire snapped, standing up and looking wildly around. "We – we've gotta find him! Before he gets hurt!"

"Well that's all sincere enough to go right through my heart, princess…"

"Too bad you don't have a heart!" Without looking back, Claire got up and ran off into the jungle. Sawyer watched her, and saw Sark doing the same thing. He saw the accused terrorist's eyes widen as the howling sound from the jungle shook the ground.

"Oooh. Scary, isn't it?" Sawyer laughed.

* * *

**Charlie stumbled through the darkness, toward the noise. _Gotta save them…No one else can die…Not after Claire's baby…No one else…_**

**Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaoooooooooooooooooooohhhhh!**

**"BLOODY BRILLIANT!" Charlie shouted. "JUST BLOODY PERFECT!"**

**Suddenly, the edge of Charlie's jeans got caught on something—a branch or a wire—and he lurched forward. **

**He struggled to free himself, but in the dark he couldn't. "NO!" **

**Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaoooooooooooooooooooohhhhh! **

**And then he was looking right into the face—if you could call it that—of the local island monster.**

**

* * *

**

"What is that?" Sark asked.

"Who cares? I'm going after Sydney!" Vaughn made for the jungle, but then paused.

"What's the matter, Agent boy?" Sawyer taunted. "You don't wanna run into the dark jungle?"

Vaughn was toofurious to say anything. He needed to go after Sydney, but he needed to make sure Sark wouldn't get away…

"Don't worry." Sayid stepped up from behind him and grabbed Sark's arm. That was all Vaughn needed. He turned and ran.

* * *

**Sydney and Jack were side by side, sprinting toward the shouts and footsteps. **

**They saw someone struggling to release themselves from something, and then the shouts and the dragging.**

**"It's Charlie," Jack breathed.**

**"Well are we just going to stand here or are we going to go save him?" Sydney shot at him.**

**Jack laughed hollowly. "We're going to go save him."**

**And then—again with the bloody running!**

Sydney pushed herself forward toward where Charlie was on the ground. He had stopped moving, and was staring up into something in front of him.

_What is that?_ Sydney's mind screamed. She wanted to stop, but she couldn't let anyone innocent get hurt…

She slammed into Charlie, catching him around the waist and propelling him, and herself, into the safety of a bundle of tree roots.

"BLOODY – WHAT THE – HOW DID…" Charlie sputtered.

"Shh…" Sydney tucked herself in tight as the grinding slowly faded away.

**"You learn that at the bloody bank?" Charlie gasped. **

**Sydney stood up and brushed herself off. "Yes," she said seriously. **

"Syd!"

"Charlie!"

Jack and Vaughn came running up, eyes wide. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, fine…just perfectly peachy," said Charlie, shaking off the experience with a shudder.

**"CHARLIE!" Claire screamed, running up and hugging him tightly. "I thought…you were gone…too…"**

**She sobbed into his shoulder, and Charlie looked at Vaughn and Jack, bewildered. They both made thumbs up and nods toward him.**

**"Claire, it's okay, I'm fine…"**

**"Syd, are you alright?" Vaughn asked, walking up to her. **

**"Yeah. But…Jack? What is wrong with this place?"**

**Jack laughed bitterly. "Too much to name."**

**

* * *

**

Kate lifted her head when she heard the shouts.

"Sun…" she gasped. "The island!"

"Oh, don't worry about that."

Kate turned to see John Locke standing behind her.

"Why not?" she asked icily.

"They've already taken care of it."

**"WHO has already taken care of it?" Kate shot.**

**"The others," Locke said mysteriously.**

**Boone, who was standing behind Locke, raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. **

**

* * *

**

The camp was empty. Even Sayid had been taken down, and Sawyer, who had been caught by surprise, had been knocked out quickly, before he could call for anyone…not that he would have…he was too stubborn for that.

And now he had gotten away.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER

* * *

**Jaye: DUN DUNN DUNNN! Bwahaha, cliffys rule!**

Lils: READ THIS! Because I guarantee we will get at least one review asking what the bold/normal is about. We always do, so don't be that idiot. Read the top, and this, and review.

**Jaye: You will be openly mocked if you are that idiot. Just a warning. **

Lils: But hopefully...for once in my life...everyone will think to read the A/N...if not, I will feel ignored, and will not explain it to that certain idiot. Now, once again...REVIEW PLEASE!


	2. Chapter 2

**Jaye: Welcome back! Read and review people! Once again: I am bold, Lils is normal, and Court is _italics_. **

Lils: Yes. Courtny Potter (our guest writer) is our best friend. We have a circle of three, and she doesn't get to be on the computer much, so she is our official guest whenever possible. As Jaye pointed out, Court will be writing her part in _italic_…so get that straight! But before we continue, it's time to reply to our reviewers!

Starshollow108: Yeah…about the bold and regular, you'll get used to it! I hope it's not too confusing, though. Really sorry it took so long to update…it won't happen again!

Lils Evans: Hello me…uh…moving on…(I'm such a dork)

Mizzle fo' Rizzle: THANK YOU SO MUCH! You're awesome!

S: sorry we couldn't update sooner! We're really sorry!

Dandan2300: I love Sark too! Uh…(gets glared at by Jaye) Well I do! (to dandan: She thinks the only sexy thing about him is his accent, but she is so wrong!) Anyway, thanks for your review…Oh yeah, and when I read the "wots the bold writing for" I really was about to freak! lol!

Agent Pheonix: Yeah, teenagers and lovin' it! Thanks for reviewing!

Luthien and Tari Oronar: You guys have a split account too? Cool! Yeah, the horizontally challenged part was Jaye's idea…and so was the "Die, Scum, Die!" Yeah…Jaye was on a sugar high then.

Cassidy: Hey Cass! How ya doing? Thanks for reviewing! I wish my sis would do that…but she doesn't even know what fanfiction is…the git (jk!)

Guess who:P: Hey moron. I MISS YOU TOO! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO MOVE TO ALABAMA AND LEAVING ME HERE IN MO? Ahh but she's right…this is so much fun! LYLAS!

Lils: Now, on to chapter two!

* * *

Chapter Two: Lost and Found

Kate, Jack, Sydney, Vaughn, Charlie, Claire, Sun, Boone, and Locke came back into the caves at dawn. They were talking as if they were long-lost friends…but their light-hearted mood did not last for long.

**Sawyer strode over to them, rubbing his forehead, which was bruised.**

**"What happened to you?" Kate asked.**

**"Where is that son-of-a-b—"**

**"Sark!" Sydney and Vaughn said in unison.**

"Are you hurt?" Jack asked.

"Lay off, doc. I won't be needin' a lollipop if that's what you mean," Sawyer scowled.

Kate stepped forward, almost smiling. She remembered how small Sark had been, and Sawyer seemed to realize what she was thinking. "'Ey!" he snapped. "This guy…he…"

"…Is stronger and quicker than we expected," Sayid cut in.

**Sawyer nodded furiously. "For once, I say Hodgee here is right!"**

**"Where did he go?" Vaughn asked.**

**"Oh, right, like I saw him run off after he knocked me out!" Sawyer said sarcastically.**

"Judging by the tracks, he must have gone this way," Sayid stated.

"Are you sure?"

All eyes slid over to where Mr. Locke was standing. "Judging by these tracks, everyone from the circle last night went off in their own directions. Now the question is; which one was Julian Sark?"

Jack shook his head, Vaughn noticed. Maybe the two had some sort of feud going on?

**"Then we'll split up and search," Sydney stated. "Me and Kate, Jack and Vaughn, Sayid, Charlie, and Claire, Sun and Locke, and Boone and Sawyer. We HAVE to find Sark—he's a threat to us all if he obtains weapons."**

"Not if we beat him to them." Sayid looked around the group of islanders, dark eyes lingering on Vaughn. "You said you had a weapons' safe in your helicopter. I believe it survived the crash. It was a standard military model, no doubt, so it was made out of sturdy, floatable material, correct?"

"That's…right," said Vaughn, a bit surprised.

"But that means the case could have floated on shore!" Sydney yelped. "We have to scout the beach…but we can't just rule out the possibility that he's somewhere in the jungle…"

"We'll split up," Kate announced. "Take two larger main groups. One to the beach, one to the jungle."

**"All right then," Jack said. "Kate, Sydney, Boone, Sawyer, and Claire take the beach. Vaughn, Sayid, Charlie, Sun, Locke, and myself will take the jungle."**

"It's a date," said Sawyer darkly, cracking his knuckles. "I'm really looking forward to finding this guy…"

"Why?" Kate snickered. "So you can have him knock you out again?"

"What did I say freckles?" Sawyer snapped. "He was – "

"Yeah sure…"

Their voices faded away and the two groups separated.

* * *

**"I'm gonna get that son-of-a-bi—"**

**"Yeah, yeah, yeah—we know, Sawyer, so shut up." Kate groaned.**

**"Does he ever stop complaining?" Sydney whispered.**

**Kate and the dark haired young man—Boone—shook their heads.**

**"Not since the minute we got here," Boone replied, smirking. Claire was silent, and had a hand on her flat stomach.**

**"What's wrong, Claire?" Kate asked, noticing this. **

**"Hm?" Claire snapped out of her daze. "Oh—um, I'm fine…"**

**Kate gave her a sad look. "It's been really hard on her," she told Sydney in a quiet voice. "She was pregnant when we crashed, and when her and Charlie got kidnapped, something happened…She had a miscarriage. And she lost her memory of everything that had happened on the island. Couldn't remember any of us. THAT was really hard on Charlie as well…"**

**"So that's what he meant when he…"**

**"Yeah."**

Sydney nodded.

"So…tell me more about how Sark knew you? Why did he call you Agent Austen?"

Kate's pretty face looked pained as she struggled with herself.

"I was in the CIA…part of SD-6 before it was discovered. You never knew me…but I was there…and he and I kept in touch. Until SD-6 was uncovered…" she took a deep breath. "I wanted to run, but he threatened to turn me in. After all, we had had a partnership of sorts…but I ran anyway…and it looks like he found me."

Sydney's face felt hot; Kate looked so lost…but then again…they all were.

* * *

**"How did that guy take out all of you?" Charlie asked.**

**"For the tenth time, Charlie, I do not know." **

**Sayid was busy searching the jungle, looking for some sign of the traitorous terrorist.**

"Well I'm just curious you know," Charlie went on. "After all, weren't you in some sort of guard?"

Sayid sighed, leaning against a tree trunk. He gave Charlie a look, and the Driveshaft member finally shut up.

**"So…" Charlie walked over to Jack and Vaughn. "How did that guy take everyone out? I mean, Hurley too! Did he feed Hurley Twinkies until he passed out?"**

**"Charlie. Shut. Up."**

**"Well fine! The thanks I get for almost getting eaten by the sodding monster to save you!" **He grumbled, "I bet I could have taken him. I've got a pretty good swing – " He jumped forward, swinging his fists, and then, out of no where, Locke caught his hand. "HEY!"

"Easy, Charlie," said Locke.

**"What if I don't WANT to be easy!" Charlie questioned. "What if I WANT to punch him? HUH?"**

"If you wanna get killed, go straight ahead," Vaughn muttered.

"Well what do you know?" Charlie shot defensively. "I could've taken him!"

Jack put an arm around his shoulder. "Charlie," he said slowly, "this guy took out _Sayid_ and _Sawyer_…"

"You sayin' I wouldn't have a chance?"

"Well…yes."

**"Well fine then! I'll find him and I'll show you!" Charlie yelped.**

**"Don't be an idiot," Vaughn groaned. "Sark would kill you in two seconds flat."**

**Charlie glared at him then marched off into the jungle.**

**

* * *

**

"Think I can't...well I'll show them…" Charlie stomped along, muttering to himself. He stepped over a leafy plant and into a clearing…where his heart seemed to stop. "I FOUND YOU!"

Sark looked up from what he was doing…he had a case lying on the ground. Charlie took a step back…and in two seconds flat, he was gone to the world.

* * *

**"I FOUND YOU!" **

**"My God, he found Sark!" Vaughn whispered in disbelief. "He's going to get shot!" **

**"Or strangled. Or kidnapped. Or—"**

**"I GET THE POINT!" **

"We have to follow him!" Sun cried. "We have to…help!"

"And what? Get ourselves shot as well?" Jack looked skeptical, but he knew Sun was right. They couldn't just leave Charlie…

"THIS WAY!" he shouted, and plowed through the trees.

**"Sun," Vaughn gasped. "Would you be able to go back to the beach and tell Sydney and Kate and Sawyer—anyone else who is strong? Tell Claire about Charlie."**

**Sun nodded solemnly.

* * *

**

Sawyer sat down on the beach, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"C'mon, Sawyer," Kate grumbled. "We have to keep looking…"

"What's that?" Sydney cried, pointing up ahead.

"Sun?" Boone said.

"What are you doing here? What's wrong?" asked Kate.

"It's Charlie," the Korean woman panted. "He has found the one we were looking for…Sark? And he has been taken!"

"Taken?" Sydney gasped; it wasn't like Sark to take captives…unless Charlie wasn't going to last long anyway. A lump rose in her throat.

**Claire's eyes filled with tears. "No…He can't be gone! That man will kill him!"**

**"Claire!" Kate cried, grabbing her by the shoulders. "We will find him! I promise you we will find him!"**

**"Vaughn said to…bring strong people. Sawyer, Boone, Kate, and Sydney," Sun continued.**

"Great…" Sawyer rolled his eyes. "Here we go after the band reject again…"

"Sawyer, shut up!" Sydney and Kate snapped at the same time.

* * *

Charlie woke up, feeling as though he had a hangover…his head was pounding, but he knew it wasn't from any drinks.

He tried to sit up, but felt too weak; his head swam violently, the pain concentrating behind his eyes, making them water and burn.

"Where…am I?" he forced himself to say.

**"That would be a brilliant question, wouldn't it, you boy band reject?"**

**"DRIVESHAFT IS NOT A BOY BAND!" Charlie yelped.**

The handsome voice laughed quietly. "They'll find me you know…" Charlie went on, gaining some of his strength back. He found the energy to lift his head above his shoulders. "They'll find me and…and…"

"And what? You must know your story is amusing."

"Well that's just great. Be smart while you can!" Charlie hissed. Suddenly, Sark came into his range of sight. The young man's face was pretty battered, but he still managed to uphold a smirk.

**"No, Charlie, what you don't understand is that YOU should be smart while you can. You will die—not me. And so will Agents Bristow and Vaughn when they walk straight into the trap I laid." Sark's smirk widened.**

**"NO! You can't do this!" Charlie gasped.**

**"I had my father killed, Charlie. And I'd known him. Think of what I'd do to someone I barely know."**

**Sark injected Charlie with something, and darkness overtook Charlie's mind.** As the fresh smell of rain became the only thing Charlie could take in, a face flitted in front of him.

_Claire…_

Sark watched the small man's eyes roll in his head with no expression on his face. When the one called Charlie finally collapsed on the ground once again, he scowled. They would be coming soon…he had to prepare.

Suddenly, a rustling sound drew his attention. **He turned to see a woman with matted hair and a crazed expression come into the clearing.**

Sark took a surprised step back; he had never seen the woman before…she hadn't been on the beach or in the "caves" where they had held their meeting.

"What are you doing here?" she barked before he could get a word out. Her eyes fell to Charlie. "What have you done…Julian?"

"Who are you?" Sark stepped forward to take care of the woman, but she grabbed his wrist, and he howled in pain…He had broken his wrist trying to worm away from that Sayid…how did she know that? Had she been watching?

**"You know who I am Julian…" The woman had a French accent.**

**"No, I can't quite say I do," Sark said coolly.**

**"I'm Danielle Rousseau… your stepmother."

* * *

**

"CHARLIE! CHARLIE!"

"If you're trying to give me a migraine, you're doing a good job there, doc."

"Quiet, Sawyer," Jack snapped. Sydney ducked her head, walking closer to Vaughn.

"The window's closing," said Vaughn, looking deeply concerned. "We have to find him…now."

"Believe me, I know," Kate replied darkly, then put her hand to her head, blinking back tears. "Poor Claire…"

"Hey! Don't worry…we'll find him." Jack looked at her firmly. "We'll find him. No one else dies."

**"But what if we don't?" Kate asked quietly.**

**"Don't go there. Not yet." Sydney stopped and turned around, putting a finger to her lips.**

_An alarm of some sort sounded as something began to tear through the jungle._ (A/N – Lils: Remember? That's Courtny in italics) 

Sydney's heart rate increased dramatically, remembering how Charlie had nearly been killed by the strange – she could only describe it as noise – the other day. Now she and the rest of the group looked around wildly as the thunderous booming drew closer.

* * *

**Charlie's body was in the clearing with Sark and Rousseau, but his mind was somewhere else.**

**He saw the shadow of someone running ahead of him. "Claire…" he whispered. "CLAIRE!"**

**The blonde girl turned around, smiled at him, and faded away.**

**"NO! CLAIRE! Come….back…"**

_As Charlie faded back into unconsciousness he heard, or at least thought he heard, Jack and Vaughn arguing over some stupid ordeal. He soon figured out that it was just another dream. As Charlie's mind faded away he flashed back to the time he first met Claire. She seemed so helpless and yet so independent in a mysterious type of way. Her glittering blue eyes seemed to lead strait to her heart… and yet she barricaded it with her life._

Claire…I would give anything for you now…thought Charlie, and his powerful thoughts broke the blockade…his eyes snapped open…and he looked up into the sunlight…or was it sunlight? Seemed like a light bulb…but how –

**"You up then?" a distinctly familiar voice laughed. "After that last fix, I thought you'd never wake up, little bro!" **

**Charlie sat up. "Liam? How did—where did you—where am I?"**

**"Lil' bit hungover, eh?" Liam Pace, Charlie's older brother, snickered. "You deserve it, too, mate after the crap you pulled last night!" **

**"What…" Charlie was utterly lost. _What the sodding crud is going on here?_ He thought. **

_"You were crazy last night, Lil bro. You were all over the place. Oh and exposing my secret, that would have pissed me off if I wasn't hungover myself!" laughed his brother._

Charlie's mind was still numb…but he felt himself getting father and farther away from his brother…from his room…until he was in between. The sensation of being nowhere…feeling nothing…was overwhelming…Until…

Air exploded into his lungs, and he felt as if he had just broken the surface of an endless, crushing ocean. This time he was sure he was awake….and as he looked around, he wished he were still asleep…still floating…still nowhere.

**Sark was standing over him. Rousseau was standing behind Sark. Charlie soon found that his arms were latched above his head, and his legs were tied.**

**"Where…I?"**

**"**_You, babbling idiot, are here with me and my psychotic…um…stepmother for no exact reason except for that you had to find me and begin babbling like the idiot that you are. You tried let the others know that you found me. Now, if you would have kept your mouth shut I might not have noticed you, and I might not have had to put up with a prisoner, but then again I am glad you began babbling so now I have someone to torture for the fun of it."_ Sark smiled. "In words that you may understand in your current…condition; enjoy being my ransom, Charlie Pace."

Charlie moaned, trying to kick his legs.

"The…the French Lady?" he gasped, gazing at her curiously. Then he turned his eyes on Sark, hatred pouring out of him. "YOU WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS! I WON'T BE YOUR RANSOME!"

"You may want to calm down," advised Sark. "I am not entirely sure the last of the drug left your system."

Charlie breathed hard through his mouth, trying to shake off the pain that was making his head throb. He glared straight up at Sark and fought off the panic that was threatening to pull him under again. **"I won't let you! You…won't…do…this…to…me…"**

**He faded back into darkness.

* * *

**

Jack, Kate, Vaughn, Sydney, Sawyer, Boone, Locke, Sun, and Sayid continued searching hopelessly through the jungle.

_"So, are you and Vaughn seriously agents of the CIA?" Boone questioned Sydney as they jogged hastily along._

_"Yep," was Sydney's short reply._

_"Soooooo…what was your….um… mission? " asked Boone._

_"We were actually…"_

Before Sydney could finish Vaughn collapsed to the ground. A small puddle of blood lay around him.

"His stitches!" Sydney cried, bending down to him. "JACK!"

Just as Jack was about to come running forward, the ground behind him was flattened. The earth shook, and the all-too-familiar howling vibrated through the air.

AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

"Get him up!" Kate screamed. "And RUN!"

Sydney grunted as she pulled Vaughn across her shoulders, and with the help Kate, dashed after the rest of the group.

"S-Syd…" Vaughn muttered as he was jostled around, but she couldn't listen to him…what ever was behind them was getting closer…she could feel it…and the terror that set in pushed her forward.

**Boone grabbed Vaughn from Sydney and slung him over his shoulders. "RUN!" he yelled to Syd.**

_Sydney began to run as fast as she could, but as she did she couldn't help but look behind her and please her curiosity. As she turned her head, she tripped over a tree root and fell to the ground with what would have been a loud thump, but it could not be heard over the wailing of the monster._

_Sydney tried to call out but the air was ripped out of her lungs as the monster grabbed her stomach and pulled her backwards. Boone turned around and gasped._

_"Jack!" screamed Boone._

_Jack spun around and instantly saw Sydney. Sawyer, Jack, Locke, Sayid, and Kate began sprinting toward her. When they reached her, the wailing had stopped and Sydney was left unconscious with bleeding wounds on her stomach._

"Oh my God…" Kate muttered, and bent down to the fallen Agent.

"It's gone," said Locke in a metallic voice.

"How long'd it take you to figure that one out?" Sawyer shot, looking pale, but hiding his fear behind a scowl.

"Turn her over!" Jack ordered, and Sydney was rolled over on to her back, exposing many deep gashes across her chest and stomach. Sydney sputtered in pain and fear.

She was on an island…who would help her…would they ever be found…and _what had just attacked her_? These thoughts swirled around her mind as day turned into cold night around her.

**Sayid and Kate picked her up and proceeded back to the beach.

* * *

**

**"What an idiot!" The Southern accent brought Vaughn back to reality. **

**Vaughn opened his eyes slowly. "Wha…"**

**"You can't run at top speed if you don't want to lose half of your blood! Look, we have to take you back to the beach," Jack said, starting out irritated, but ending with concern. "If you lose anymore blood…Let's just say you won't be finishing your mission. Whatever it is."**

_"I will return to camp as long as you and the others agree to continue after Charlie," stated Vaughn gravely._

_"I promise, but...I may have to stay for another patient." _

_Vaughn turned pale as Jack told him what had happened and that Sydney was in critical condition._

_After Jack replaced the stitches, Vaughn requested to see Syd. As he walked over to her, tears came to his eyes. _

_What have I done? I should have taken care of her. These thoughts surrounded his mind as they returned to camp.

* * *

_

"What are you planning to do with him?"

"That's really not your concern." Sark paced his clearing, eyes flicking from the unconscious Charlie to the crazed-looking French Woman. He had already forgotten her name. It didn't seem important.

"I hope you know what you are doing, Julian."

Sark gave her an annoyed glance and crossed his arms, standing arm's length away from her.

"Who are you?" he asked again.

"You have become much different from what your father and I hoped for…you should know that." She looked directly at him, and reached for his face. Sark staggered back.

"Get out of here or die," he said sharply; ignoring the hurt look the woman – his stepmother – gave him.

**"Where is Alex? I know you have her. You stole her from me. SHE'S MINE! NOT YOURS! GIVE HER BACK!" **

**"I'm getting sick of your ramblings, woman," Sark sneered. He smacked her with the gun she had been holding. The gun she'd dropped when she'd seen his face.**

**"Nighty night…" he whispered.

* * *

**

_As Jack and the others reached the caves, they were greeted and then questioned by the others. Jack just ignored them, and laid Sydney down behind a curtain that, in a way, was known as the hospital._

_When Vaughn walked in, Jack began to talk, "I know I made a promise, but without immediate and continuous attention, she may die."_

_At this Vaughn just nodded his head and walked out. He noticed that the others were already preparing to leave. _Just as he was making his way out, the blonde woman stopped him, her eyes red and dry from crying; lines went down her face.

"Did you find him?" she asked, her gaze pleading with him; begging him.

Vaughn felt hurt as he looked at her, and shook his head sadly. Claire then put her head in her hands and sobbed, coughing and sputtering from lack of energy.

Kate watched all this, her heart swelling. Julian Sark had already ruined her life…she wouldn't let him ruin another.

Without saying a word she turned and left.

* * *

**Charlie squirmed around, trying to get his arms loose. _Bloody handcuffs…_**

**Sark saw this and strode over to him. "Don't even try it. They're unbreakable. The only way you will escape is with the key."**

**"Whatever, Starch," Charlie hissed.**

**"My name is SARK. For that smart remark…" Sark pulled out two knives from the case. **

_Charlie stared wide-eyed at Sark._

_"Your bloody insane!" screeched Charlie._

_"On the contrary my friend, the woman fallen beside you is insane. Although she may be my stepmother, but I doubt it."_

_Sark got up and walked over to Charlie, knife in hand._

_" Where did you get the scar around your neck? You know that's an impressive scar, but I think that I can make it better."_

_Sark then drug the knife delicately around Charlie's neck, re-opening the shallow wound._ Charlie flinched back as he felt the warm blood dripping slowly down his neck, staining the collar of his shirt. He knew the cut was shallow, just barely cutting his skin, but he couldn't help but panic.

"What are you –?" Charlie gasped.

"You don't know much about me, Mr. Pace," Sark stated calmly. "Now, if you do not cooperate…"

"I get it!" Charlie yelped, close to tears as he realized something: He couldn't let himself be the bait to draw his friends in…to draw Claire in…he had to either get free…

Or die.

* * *

**Melanie Simms and Carter Phipps walked through the jungle. **

**"So…think we'll find him?" Mel asked.**

**Carter ran a sun burnt hand through his jet-black hair and sighed. "I hope so Mel. The guy that took him seems like a psychopath…"**

**Mel's copper colored hair was slipping from its no longer tight ponytail. Her hazel eyes were shining. She tugged at the front of her black Driveshaft—Second Tour of Finland concert – tee. "But, man… Do you think its really Charlie? I mean, Charlie Pace, Carter, Charlie Pace! I hope he's okay. It would suck if he wasn't, eh?" **

**"Yeah, I guess," Carter grumbled, rolling his intelligent looking amber eyes. "What a tragedy." **

**The two friends stumbled through the jungle, trying to be quiet but not really succeeding. **

**"My gosh, Charlie Pace is on the same island as me…" Mel moaned dreamily. "I could just DIE."**

**"Or you could just shut your freakin' mouth," Carter mumbled.**

**Mel looked at him. "Wha?" **

**"Nothing… Just wondering why you're so obsessed with a boy band," Carter replied.**

**"Driveshaft is SO not a boy band!" Melanie fumed. "THEY HAVE INSTRUMENTS! THEY ARE NOT A BOY BAND!" **

**"Yeah, sure, whatever," her skeptical friend muttered. **

**"You know what? You've really changed since we've gotten here."**

**"Well, nearly dying in a plane crash kinda does that to you, Mel."**

**"But…c'mon, Carter, you used to be a lot of fun. You used to be cool. Now you act like you're forty instead of sixteen."**

**"Seventeen," Carter whispered. "Yesterday…was my birthday. I calculated the days this morning. I turned seventeen yesterday…and I didn't even know it…"**

**"We seriously need off this island." Mel paused. "But not until we find Charlie. Driveshaft will die without him."**

**Carter smiled softly as Mel walked ahead of him. He had always liked her as more than a friend, though she was a little bit oblivious to the obvious. But he was trying. And maybe… if he could save that idiot guitarist for her… **

**I've got a plan****… He thought, as his smile turned into a smirk.

* * *

**

_Sydney's eyes fluttered open. She didn't know where she was or why she was covered in blood. Her breath came in short gasps and every one hurt ten times worse than the one before. Her chest hurt and she cried out as tears flowed from her eyes. It became harder and harder for her to stay awake. As she began to be over come by darkness once again she saw Vaughn and Jack walk in._

_"Syd, are you okay? " Vaughn asked frantically._

_"Tell her to stay awake, if she falls asleep she may go into shock." Jack told Vaughn._

_"Syd, you have to try and stay awake, you're going to be okay; just stay awake."_

_Vaughn grabbed her hand and held it tight. Another cry of pain came from Sydney as Jack examined the wound closer. More tears ran down her cheek as Vaughn's voice seemed to fade away._

_"The bleeding hasn't stopped yet, and the wounds look like they are infected. If the bleeding doesn't stop, she may need a transfusion." Jack stated solemnly._

_Jack went to go find Sun and left Vaughn alone with Sydney._

_"You will be okay Syd, I promise."

* * *

_

Kate cut through the jungle, ragged and exhausted, but she pressed on, her thoughts keeping her going.

Ever since those Agents had shown up with…him…everything had gone wrong. First with the memories…they were so painful…

The day SD-6 had been discovered he had arranged a meeting. "I had no idea…" Kate had gasped, but Sark had stayed calm and collected. "I don't know what to do!"

"Well, one thing is for certain, you can't go to the CIA with your story."

"Why not?" Kate remembered feeling numb and confused. "Then…I'll run…"

"And leave everything behind?" Sark's eyes had been so penetrating and demanding…it was impossible to look away. He had changed…from back then…on that day. Now his eyes were deeper and darker…less alive. "You can't leave."

That day, Kate had walked away…knowing that her decision would haunt her for the rest of her life…"You'll be labeled a rouge Agent, you know, if you run."

"But what else is there to do?"

Kate shook her head, wiping the memory from her mind. She stumbled and nearly fell, staggering forward and falling into the dirt. She had made it to the beach for the second time without meaning to.

"CHARLIE!"

She looked out to the ocean, and then behind her…but this time, something had changed. Two shadows lingered behind her…not very tall…almost like children. "Who's there?"

**Two teenagers walked over to her. "I'm Mel," the girl said. "This is Carter. We were in the back of the plane. Are you looking for Charlie too?"**

**"How do you know Charlie?" Kate asked slowly. **

**  
"Well, duh, he's only the hottest guitarist on this side of Pluto!" Mel acted like even asking that question made Kate a complete and total moron. "We're going to save him!"**

**"How do you know he's been kidnapped?"**

**"Oh, Ana Lucia found out from Rousseau and she told us someone'd been kidnapped, and Carter said he would go look for him, and then I asked who it was, and she said some singer dude named Charlie, and I went OMG IT'S CHARLIE FROM DRIVESHAFT! So I went along too."**

**"Jeez, Mel, take a breather," Carter laughed.**

Kate looked at the teenagers, bewildered, and unable to say anything. Finally she cleared her throat and struggled to push her hair out of her face.

"Y-You're from the back of the plane?" she asked in a hushed voice. "Then…did any others survive?"

"Um, I'm not sure," Mel admitted, looking sad. "Carter's parents were sitting right across from us…I don't know where they went. But. Anyway…about Charlie…we might know where he is."

* * *

_Vaughn's eyes shot open. The only thing flashing through his mind was Sydney. He ran into the tent/hospital only to be stopped by Jack. _

_"What have I told you about taking it easy with those stitches?" Jack said irritably._

_"How is she? Is she going to be alright?" Vaughn asked impatiently._

_"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Jack replied with a smile._

_Vaughn ran into the tent to find Sydney laying down, facing the opposite direction. When she saw him she shot up straight and then yelped in pain, for the wounds were still fresh and raw. Vaughn walked over to her and grabbed her hand. For a moment they just exchanged smiles. For that moment, to them, nothing was wrong…until Syd winced in pain. _

_"I'm glad your back." Vaughn struggled through a smile._

_"I'm glad to be back to," replied Sydney in a near whisper._

Just then, Sayid came plunging into the tent, followed by Jack, who was wide-eyed and had apparently just received some sort of news. The only thing was, judging by the look on their faces, it wasn't good news.

"Kate is missing," Sayid announced.

"What?" Sydney coughed. Vaughn tried to steady her, but she wouldn't stay down. "What's happened to her? Was it – "

"Sydney!" Jack cried, running over to her. "You have to stay still. Your wounds are healing. You have to give them a chance before you go off again." His eyes were hard and serious for a moment, but then he managed a stressed smile. "I don't know what kind of miracle medicine you had in the CIA, but in case you haven't noticed…this isn't it."

Sydney returned the grin, nodding as she stiffly lay back down.

"Now…what were you saying," asked Vaughn, "about Kate? She's gone missing? Another one?"

"I am afraid so," Sayid replied solemnly. Jack puffed out his cheeks with air and blew it slowly out toward the ground.

"So…what do we do? Every time we send someone out looking for this guy…another one of us goes missing."

"Yes, but this time, there were no signs of our quarry, Sark…"

"But that doesn't mean he wasn't there!" Sydney spoke up, her voice hoarse and ragged. Vaughn patted her hand comfortingly.

"I know," he said. "And we'll find him."

* * *

**Charlie's neck burned, and somehow he knew the fresh cuts would get infected if they weren't treated soon. He thought about how is life could've been if he hadn't left Liam's house that fateful afternoon almost two months ago.**

**He could be playing with his niece, writing songs, playing guitar… The only thing wrong with the picture was that he would still be an idiotic druggie…and he wouldn't have met Claire.**

**_But you also wouldn't be lying here, being tortured by a psychotic terrorist for ransom,_ the small voice in the back of his mind whispered.**

**Charlie pushed the voice down. He thought back to everything… Since he had come to the island so many horrid things had happened to him.**

**Going through drug withdrawal. Being hung from the vines. Hearing Claire screaming, calling his name and sobbing…**

**_"CHARLIE!" Claire screamed. "You monster let him go! What did he do to you? Let him go!"_**

**_Charlie couldn't see anything, but he could feel the vines cutting into his neck, could feel the air draining from his lungs… But worst of all was Claire's cries for help… He struggled to free himself… But he couldn't. _****I have to help her! _He screamed to himself. _I won't…let him…hurt her… _But with that his breath—possibly his last—was gone. _**

**Charlie's eyes stung, and he gritted his teeth against the pain. _Don't remember that, you git,_ he yelled at himself. _Are you trying to break yourself down for that prat?_**

_Just as Charlie finished re-building his confidence, psycho walked in.(A/N - Courtny: Not the psycho that you are thinking about…or maybe you are, but the other psycho…you'll find out.) _

_"Hurry, he won't be out long," Danielle said impatiently._

_"Oh great, first him now you," Charlie replied sarcastically._

_Danielle cut Charlie free and he stood up abruptly and prepared to run, but fell over because he was still partially drugged. After that the French lady left him because he couldn't keep up._

"H-Hey!" Charlie staggered forward…or to the side…or backwards…he couldn't tell. "Wh-where are you…Ahh!" He tripped on something then fell over, his arms failing uselessly above his head as he went down, landing with a dull _thud_ in the dirt.

Muttering curses, he rolled over, got sick, and crawled away, feeling somewhat relieved.

**Suddenly he heard footsteps. _CRAP!_ He thought. He squirmed—as much as he could, anyway—to safety behind a bush.**

**"Charlie?" someone said in a carrying whisper.**

**Charlie's ears perked up. He knew that voice. It was Kate.**

**"Kate?" he said in a hoarse whisper. "Is that…you?"**

**"Oh, God, Charlie!" Kate ran over to the bush he was behind. **

**Her eyes filled with tears when she saw the cuts around his neck. "Oh, Charlie…" she said softly. "C'mon, let's get you out of here. Claire hasn't stopped crying since you left…"**

**"I…can't move much. Sark…he drugged me, the bugger."**

**"Well, we can carry you."**

**"We…? Who else came?"**

**"You don't know them. They say they were from the tail end of the plane. Two teenagers." Kate signaled to Mel and Carter.**

**"OMG IT'S CHARLIE!" Mel whisper yelled. "You rock!"**

**Charlie smiled weakly. "Thanks…" **

**And then he passed out. Again.

* * *

**

_As Charlie awoke he heard a sob, and then someone grabbed him and hugged him. _

_"Charlie, I never thought I would see you again!" cried Claire._

_"Ah…Claire…I love you," whispered Charlie._

_"What did you say?" Claire asked, surprised._

_"Nothing," replied Charlie. _His heart burned…why couldn't he tell her the truth? But at that moment, he was swamped by the islanders, and carried away.

* * *

Sark opened his eyes groggily, pain exploding from behind his head. He realized he was sprawled on the ground, with the gun that woman had used lying next to him. It was empty…and they were both gone. She had got up behind him while he had been…well…he had been careless.

Refraining himself from screaming in frustration, he sat up, let the world spin a few times faster, and then settled himself down. What had happened? Was that woman…could she really be…and who was Alex?

At any case, he got up and checked to see if the case of weapons was still were he had secured it, and smiled. At least one thing was still under his control…and it turned out to be the most important thing.

* * *

**Claire sat in the caves, mind whirling. Charlie was back. He was safe. But that monster, Sark…he had hurt Charlie so badly… He'd reopened the scars around Charlie's neck…**

_**Claire saw Charlie being tied by the vines to the trees by Ethan. "CHARLIE! You monster, let him go!" she screamed.**_

**Claire shuddered and stood up, walking over to Charlie. "Charlie," she whispered. "Did Ethan…did he really hang you?"**

**Charlie started to sit up, but Jack gave him a look that said: "Don't even go there." **

**"You remember?" Charlie asked, shocked.**

**"Yes…just that…and that Rousseau was trying to hurt me…and I scratched her. Nothing else." She smiled faintly. "Well, other than peanut butter, of course."**

**Charlie smiled. "Yeah…peanut butter."

* * *

**

END OF CHAPTER

* * *

Lils: Aww! Peanut butter! So, what did you think? Well don't tell me now…click go and review! Duh. ((mutters)) simpletons. Hmm…It seems Jaye and Court forgot to leave A/Ns…MORE SIMPLETONS! Haha. I am the only intelligent person here, I suppose. HA! I sound conceited, don't I? Well I'm really not…most of the time that is. Anyway, review! 


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Jaye: Also called Fighting Sephiroth Is A Pain In The Arse!**

Lily: Yes, indeed, Sephiroth IS a pain in the arse! Especially with his stupid tornado twisty attack! I bet you probably think after what I just said, that I wouldn't be able of writing such an excellent story. WELL YOU'RE WRONG PSYCHOPATHS! BACK TO KINGDOM HEARTS!

_Court: Oooo burn Sephiroth! Go back to supporting!_

Lils: Yes, well, now I must reply to our wonderful reviewers!

Irionelissa: How is it confusing? And Court doesn't have any other work. She can't really get on the Internet at home, and her computer is messed up so that she can't set up an account.

Luthien and Tari Oronar: Wow, you certainly have a lot to say…IT WAS ALL JAYE AND COURT'S IDEAS TO HURT CHARLIE, NOT ME! And Mel and Carter are Jaye's characters, and about Kate being bad…I don't know if she was ever really _good_, although I do feel bad for her after what happened to Tom…and it is so fun to make Rousseau a loon, like you said. I mean she is a character we can really make interesting. In an insane sort of way. Haha. Thanks for reviewing!

Jaye Black: Yeah yeah…blah blah blah about the Harry Potter book…you know, I find that if you read it too fast you loose some of the details of the story. That's why I took my time! Simpleton.

Dandan2300: Yeah, we're pretty sure we're 13…oh wait. WE STILL HAVE ONE PRE-TEEN IN THE GROUP! But don't tell Jaye, she doesn't like it. Do you Jaye? (cackles) Anyway, I so agree with you! Sark is hot and so are Vaughn and Charlie, but Jack's a little…I dunno…not my type. Yeah, and poor Syd as well. That was Court as you know…and do we really sound like one brainy person? Cool. Thanks for reviewing! We hope you enjoy the chapter!

Mizzle fo' Rizzle: Squee? That's funny. And we're glad you were glad we updated! Now that I think about it, a lot did happen in that last chapter…and I think we'll stay at three people, although, sadly, Court's visits will be scarce (sniffle) My poor best buddy and her computer deprivalry!

Lils: Now, a big thanks to all of our reviewers! See? THANKS! That's pretty big, innit? Now, on with the chapter!

Chapter three 

**Miracle Medicine **

_Sydney woke up to a sleeping Vaughn at her side. _

_"How you feelin'?" asked Jack as he entered the tent._

_"Better I guess," Sydney replied in a near whisper, trying not to wake Vaughn._

_"You know, he's been here all night watching over you. So, are you guys a couple?" Jack asked curiously, "Not that it is any of my business but…"_

_Sydney cut him off. "In a way I guess, but I'm not sure what he wants to be."_

_"Are you Agents _that_ blind, come on, you know he likes you," Jack replied with a snicker. _

_Sydney just smiled. Just then Vaughn woke up._

_"How long have you been up?" Vaughn asked as he wiped the sleep from his eyes._

_"Not long, I guess," she replied with a smile, "I didn't get to go on my run, though."_

_"How are you feeling?" Vaughn asked, concerned._

_"Not bad," Sydney said as she began to sit up._ She stretched, wincing slightly, but the pain had numbed somewhat from yesterday.

"I have good news," said Jack after a pause. Sydney and Vaughn looked at him expectantly. "We found Charlie…Kate brought him back…along with some others."

"Others?" Vaughn wasn't sure why, but he didn't like the sound of that.

Jack, sensing his concern, put a hand up in the air. "Don't worry," he said, "they're two teenagers…the odd thing about them is…that they survived the crash."

"Well so did you," Sydney pointed out. Jack nodded.

"Yes…but I was in the front half of the plane." His face grew troubled. "The thing is, up until now, we thought everyone in the back section of the plane had…died. There were no traces…"

"Up until now." Vaughn scratched his head, and Sydney looked around her makeshift hospital.

"Can I see Kate?" she asked finally, causing Jack to snap out of his bodily trance.

"I don't see why not – "

When Sydney went to move, however, Vaughn held her down. Jack smiled. "No miracle medicine, remember? I'll go get her. You stay here. Rest."

**"Oy, Syd, you feelin' better?" a voice said from next to them.**

**"Charlie!" Syd gasped. "You're okay!" **

**"Yup, perfectly fine…what happened to you?" Charlie asked, seeing her battered condition.**

**Sydney explained the day's events.**

**"Hey, Charlie…" Vaughn started. **

**"Told you I'd find him, didn't I?" Charlie smiled, but then flinched against the pain in his neck.**

_"What did Sark do to you? Are you ok?" Vaughn questioned in concern._

_"He just re-opened my scar and drugged me. __Not as bad or dramatic as hanging me," Charlie stated sarcastically._

_Sydney sat up, ready to go out and find Sark, but was pushed back down by Vaughn._

_"Vaughn, I'm fine! I am practically healed, and someone has to kill Sark," Sydney said impatiently as she tried to get up again._

_"Syd, your not fine. Plus, you're bleeding again!" Vaughn said frantically. " Charlie, get Jack."_

_"I'm on it," Charlie said as he ran out._

_"Vaughn, it's not that bad," Sydney stated, " Why are you making such a big deal about it?"_

_" I just don't want you getting hurt again. You shouldn't be like this," Vaughn said shakily. "I should have objected to having Sark aboard. I am sorry, Syd."_

_Just as Vaughn finished, Jack walked in with Kate. _

"Hey Syd," Kate said softly.

"Hey…" Sydney wished she could say more, but for some reason, she couldn't think of anything. Her tongue felt limp in her mouth. All she could manage was a weak smile. "So…"

"So I guess you heard about those two teenagers, huh?" Kate sat down next to Sydney and Vaughn.

"Yes." Vaughn's expression turned thoughtful again. "Who are they?"

"Mel and Carter," Jack said from a distance off. Kate rolled her eyes.

"Melanie Simms, and Carter Phipps," she said formally. "They – "

"Survived the crash in the back of the plane, I know," Sydney commented. "And they helped you find Charlie?"

"Not just helped," Kate admitted. "Without them…" Her glassy eyes slid over to Charlie, who was still sitting next to Sydney, as if in a daze. "I don't think…well…"

"I know." Sydney gave them all grateful smiles. "Thanks for coming to see me…I'm fine, really…but this doctor won't let me get up."

Vaughn and Jack laughed.

**Michael, Jin, and Sawyer were at the beach, working on their raft. After it had been burnt down the first time, they were taking extra precautions to keep it safe… Such as moving their shelters closer and having "idiots with pointy sticks" on patrol at night. **

**Carter and Melanie were sitting off to the side, watching and talking. **

**"You think we should tell Ana Lucia that we found them?" Mel asked. **

**"Yeah. Probably." **

**"Well…should we go by ourselves, or ask someone to come with us?"**

**"I say we ask someone to come with us," Carter said. "Maybe that Vaughn guy and the doctor."**

**"Yeah, okay. Now, or later?"**

**"Let's go."**

**"Hey, you're Jack, right?" Carter asked.**

**"Yes. You're…Carter?" Jack replied.**

**Carter nodded. "We need to go back. There was another person with us. She's the one that told us about Charlie being missing. Heard it from Rousseau. We were wondering…if you and that Vaughn guy would come with us."**

**"I'll go," Vaughn said. "We can't just let you go by yourselves with Sark out there."**

**"Who's the other person?" Jack asked, curious.**

**"Oh, Ana Lucia," Mel answered.**

**Jack's eyes widened. "Ana Lucia…She's alive?" **

**"You know her!" Carter and Mel said in unison.**

_"In a way, yes," replied Jack as he stared off into the distance._

_About twenty minutes later Vaughn and Jack were packed and ready to leave. Before they left they both stopped in to check on Sydney and Charlie._

_"The both of you need to take it easy. We will only be gone for about a day," Jack said, hoping that he got his point through._

_"Kate will be here to help you with anything that you need," Vaughn alleged as he turned to leave, "Oh, and Syd, …"_

_"Yesssss…" she asked._

_"Take care." Then Vaughn turned and left._

_As Vaughn caught up with Jack he noticed him smirking._

_"You should have told her," Jack said with disappointment._

_"Told her what?" Vaughn asked casually as if he didn't know what he meant._

_Jack just shook his head and walked off. After a few minutes, Vaughn followed._

* * *

"You're making…a raft?" Sydney stepped out on to the beach, eyeing the crude framework that had been set up in the sand. 

Michael looked up at her.

"Yeah," he replied, pausing from his work.

"Your second try?" Sydney surmised.

"…Yeah. How'd you know?"

"I talked to Hurley down the beach." Sydney came up to him. "What happened to the first one?"

"Uh…it was…burnt down," Michael stated. Sydney nodded.

"Oh."

"So…you're an Agent. Really?" Sydney smiled.

"Yup. So. Can I help?"

* * *

**Mel and Carter led Jack and Vaughn through the jungle.**

"Are you three the only other survivors?" Jack asked hopefully.

Melanie shrugged; Carter ducked his head. They cut through the jungle in silence the rest of the way, Jack keeping his gaze on the forest floor, while Vaughn kept his eyes wide, sweeping his surroundings for any sudden movement.

After all, Sark was still out there…and he couldn't get the sense of danger from his mind.

Although he said nothing, he thought of this whole venture as a distraction to the real situation. He should be trying to find the weapons…trying to find Sark…trying to get off this island. He looked at Jack. How long had he and the other crash-members been there? Close to fifty days? What would he do if he and Sydney were stranded for that long?

What would he do if no one came for them at all?

Melanie stopped short, nearly causing the others behind her to topple over in a crippled domino effect.

Jack looked up, the air catching in his lungs. Sitting in front of him was a tiny middle section of the plane.

**"Ana Lucia, we're back!" Mel shouted. **

**A dark haired young woman walked out from the plane segment. She smiled at Mel and Carter, and then her eyes strayed to Vaughn and Jack. She gasped.**

**"JACK?" she questioned, surprised. "You survived?"**

**"That seems to be a very common question," Vaughn said quietly. **

**"I'm glad to see you too," Jack smiled. "I thought…What happened to you!"**

**Ana looked towards her arm, which had a belt connecting it to the back of her neck, in a makeshift sling, then back towards Jack. "It was from the crash. I'm just glad Mel here is a little accident prone, or she wouldn't have known how to make a sling…and I would've been toast."**

**"Well…we brought them back. So do you want to come to the beach with us?" Jack asked. "There are about fifty of us there…You might feel a little less isolated."**

**"Sure. You guys all right with that?" **

**Mel and Carter both nodded. "Guess what? We saved him! Helped anyway—Charlie, I mean—and he SMILED at me!" **

**Jack and Vaughn snickered. Carter rolled his eyes. Ana smiled widely. **

**"Good job, kiddo," she laughed.**

_"So…. you need some help with your stuff?" Vaughn asked, urging to get into the conversation._

_"What stuff?" She asked with a smile._

"Oh…right." Vaughn smiled back at her, and they began walking back to the beach.

Jack shrunk behind the majority of the group, next to Ana.

"How did you…what happened…" He couldn't get the words out. Luckily, Ana laughed, and placed a finger on his lips.

"When the plane split…I guess…while the back portion was falling, the friction…or whatever…pulled the half apart again. Mel, Carter, and myself were the only ones that…made it."

Jack nodded, taking it all in.

"How did you know about Charlie?"

"That," grinned Ana, "was by accident. Mel and Carter were out…and they say they saw him getting dragged away after they heard a shout." Her pretty expression darkened. "Who was that?"

"Long story…" Jack sighed.

"We have time," she said, looking up at him with her beautiful, wild eyes.

**Jack and Vaughn switched off, catching Ana up with what had happened.**

**Ana raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything until they finished.**

**"Agents?" she said slowly. "Wait. If you were an agent, then why would you be telling people?"**

**Jack took this in and stared at Vaughn. **

**"Because someone wise arse thought we were coming to kill them all," Vaughn said defensively. "And we would have ended up telling them anyway, after Sark kidnapped Charlie."**

**Both looked at him suspiciously. **

**"Jack, don't tell me you're turning against me," Vaughn said. "We ARE agents. It's the truth. We came to get another agent."**

**"Who then?" **

**"Agent Kate Austen. You knew she was an agent because of Sark. You knew we were coming to pick up an agent. Put it together, brain surgeon."**

* * *

_"Sydney! They're coming!_"_ Kate warned, "Ooooo, Jack and Vaughn are going to kill you."_

_"Hey Syd, what are you doing out here?" asked Vaughn in frustration._

_"I am just enjoying the view," she stated calmly._

_"Well, let's get you back before Jack blows his top," Vaughn stated with a concerned smile._

_"Hey, Syd, you got a lot done today!" Hurley bellowed from across the beach. "The raft is really coming together."_

_"What! You worked on the raft?" Vaughn cried in disbelief. "Do you want to get hurt?"_

_"No, see… I just gave them some ideas." Sydney shot back._

_"Oh come on, give your self some credit," Hurley injected. "She built AND installed the mast! She was great – well she fell once – but I guess you agents can take a lot of battering."_

_"Yeah, I guess we can," Vaughn grumbled dryly, as his eyes burned into Sydney._

_He then grabbed her arm and silently took her to Jack._

"Vaughn…you know, you really don't have to…"

Vaughn shook his head, but he couldn't seem to stay mad at her.

"You know, if you don't kill yourself, Jack will."

Sydney laughed, and put her head on his shoulder as they made their way across the beach and into the caves.

* * *

"Oh. I see…you were out doing what?" 

Jack turned from cleaning up Charlie's wounds with a disappointed frown on his face.

"Enjoying the view…and helping out a bit on the raft," Sydney replied steadily. Jack rolled his eyes.

"This isn't a real hospital – "

"I know. No miracle – "

"No, there's no locks on the doors. Otherwise I _would_ have you locked in, Ms Sydney Bristow."

Sydney swayed on her heels for a moment, before cracking a grin.

"Thank you, _Dad_, for your concerns."

Jack came up blank, but Vaughn snorted into his sleeve. ((A/N – Lils: You guys get it? Sydney's dad's name is Jack…and so is this doctor. Ha.))

"Look," Jack moaned. "I can't keep treating you. We don't have enough supplies or time – "

Sydney shook her head in agreement.

"You're right. Then I'll be on my way."

* * *

**Across the island, Sark cracked his knuckles and began to think up another plan…**

**TBC…**

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER**

* * *

**A/N: Jaye: Yes. That was a short chappie, I know. Well, short for us in this story anyways. The italics is Courtny Potter, our great friend and guest writer. (waves) Hey Court! So yuppers! **

Lils: So you may have noticed our previous chapters have been very long. So we've given you a break! Go get some popcorn, and maybe a drink, and get ready to review! Lils oooooooouuuut!

**Jaye: YOU STOLE THAT FROM ME!** (Ooh. Boo hoo, Jaye) 

_Courtny: Hello! This is my first time, so don't flame me! (drops down on knees) PLEASE DON'T FLAME ME! JK! Okay. (laughs) Hey, hey, hey! Stop that! Jaye! STOP! Uhhh! Estupido! Stop it Jaye! (scowl) Courtny out. Courtny has left the building. It's gonna be Jaye next!_

Lils: NO! I SMACKETH THEE!

**Jaye: I'm typing what they're saying if you're wondering about the last two A/Ns. (Lils is fighting Sephiroth in Kingdom Hearts for the bajillionth time.) Bwa ha ha.**

_**DISCLAIMER! We own the plot, and Jaye owns Mel and Carter! JJ Abrams, unfortunately, owns Charlie, Vaughn, and Boone, so yeah, that sucks. BUT DON'T SUE BECAUSE WE FINALLY PUT THE DISCLAIMER UP!**_

Lils: I have one more thing to say. REVIEW AND WE'LL SEND YOU ON A FLIGHT THAT WILL CRASH ON THE VERY ISLAND WHERE CHARLIE IS WAITING FOR YOU WITH A HANDFULL OF MANGOS AND HIS GUITAR! Or, if you're like me…where Sark will be…waiting…(drifts off into wonderful daydream) Anyway, you get the picture. Review!


	4. Chapter 4

_Courtny A/N: Hey! I get to start the chapter! Ooooo this is going to be soooooooo cool! Got to go start the chapter!_

Lils: Yeah, yeah, don't get yourself all worked up, Court. YOU can't even figure out where COMMAS are supposed to go without me and Jaye having to go over your work! ((ahem)) anyway, this chapter will be cool…lots of Marshall babbling, and high-tech ramble from me. Enjoy!

**Jaye: I have one word to say. MONKEYS!**

Lils: Eh…r.i.g.h.t. Now to reply to reviews!

Lils Evans: Erm…yeah…why aren't people reviewing?

Dandan2300: Thanks for the compliment…and about your thoughts on how we write this…Jaye is in Alabama, and Court and I are in Missouri. Jaye used to live here but then she moved, and her and I decided to write stories over the Internet. Like we copy and paste from e-mail messages onto Word, but in the cases of chapters I-4 and some of 5, Court and I were visiting Jaye at her house. So yeah, it's a little complicated, and sometimes we spazz off…but we're best buddies and love to write together, even though we're like, ten hours apart. Car ride not pleasant…Court can tell you that. She's very hyperactive, and always has to be moving…I thought she was gonna die on the way home…that or kill me. BTTS…thanks for reviewing and sticking with us! You're great!

Mizzle fo' Rizzle: I always wonder about your name…but anyway…yes, mangos and guitars. Just close your eyes and you can picture it, can't you? Unless you're a dude…(lol) But thanks for the review…and about more people? You'll just have to wait and see!

Jaye: Ahh shaddup you! But that was really funny…

* * *

Chapter Four :  
**Panic Attack **_Back at APO everything is going perfect. All agents are doing what they are suppose to be doing, everyone returning on time, missions completed, no one in trouble with the authorities, and no one dead. Yep, everything is fine and dandy until… " THEY'RE GONE! The chopper BLEW UP!"_

"_Marshall, get a hold of your self and tell me what is going on!" Jack Bristow yelled._

_Marshall followed him into to his office, trying to remain calm in a time of panic. "Now, tell me why you panicked in front of everyone in the office as if you knew that a bomb could go off at any moment?" Jack demanded with a stern, hard glare._

_"Sydney, Vaughn, and Sark are missing," Marshall said frantically, "Their plane went down and there radios are shot. We can't get a location and our search teams haven't found anything."_

Marshall put his head in his hands. "Oh…I knew something like this would happen! I just knew it!"

"Marshall – "

"How could this happen? I wasn't prepared for this!" he squealed. "Syd and Vaughn are our there…spinning somewhere in the ocean and I can't find them…and…I can't get a hold of them and –"

"Marshall!" Jack Bristow shouted, holding up his hands. "We cannot do anything for Sydney and Vaughn if all you can do is stand here and yell at me in Gibberish."

"But it's not Gibberish!" Marshall shrieked, then added, "Sir," in a quiet voice, "Syd and Vaughn they…their helicopter went down…"

"Where?"

"Well, that's the problem." Marshall smiled weakly and attacked the nearest computer. "I can pull up audio and video feed from the inside of the chopper—pretty nice little invention there—but our grid-line broke down a couple of hours from the Australian ocean-line."

"But that's not where they crashed?"

"No, sir. We have video until the initial glitch, but audio hung on until…well…impact." A lump rose in his throat as the program he was bringing up opened, and a recorded feed began to play out of the speakers, the image coming up crystal clear on the screen. "See, everything is going good here…All zippitty doo da day!" Marshall's fingers flew over the keys, and the image skipped past several hours in a matter of minutes.

**"****...Now. Sark. He's getting bashed pretty badly… Oh, nice one Syd, that…good… Ooo, take cover Sark!"**

"What can you tell us about this agent on the island of yours?" asked the pre-recorded Sydney. Jack watched her closely…and then the helicopter lurched. Video fizzed out in a blur of static, but high-pitched shouts and the frantic whirling of the chopper's blades filled Jack and Marshall's ears.

And then, without warning, the screen went completely blank, the blackout followed by an icy silence.

**"Get Sloane, Nadia, and Weiss to the briefing room," Jack ordered.**

**"Yes…sir," Marshall said. When Jack walked out, Marshall mumbled, "SOMEONE'S a little bossy today…well, everyday…actually…but…yeah…"**

* * *

_As everyone entered the briefing room, they frantically searched each other for answers as to why Marshall was bouncing up and down in the corner, sweating, and clasping his hands to his mouth for dear life._

Mr. Bristow was clearly annoyed, and commanded the briefing to order rather brusquely.

"What is going on?" asked Nadia once everything was settled down…except Marshall that is. He was still in his corner, hands over his mouth.

Sighing deeply, Jack began. "Apparently, as Marshall is dying to tell you all, Agents Sydney and Vaughn's helicopter – while they were transporting Mr. Sark – has crashed. Somewhere several miles off the coast of Australia in the Pacific Ocean."

"And that's not exactly good," blurted Marshall. "You see, we lost our grid-system way before the audio gives out – that would be at impact time…in case you don't know – so we can't exactly make a perimeter that would be even remotely accurate. We might as well just circle the entire Mid Pacific…and maybe a little around the north-eastern section of Australia…but…since…it's already nearly impossible to – "

"That'll do Marshall." Mr. Bristow encircled his temples with his fingers, sighing.

**"Eh…oh…kay…" Marshall said weakly.**

**"We need to extract Sydney, Vaughn, and Sark. I'm sending in Agents Santos and Weiss to find them." Sloane joined the briefing. "Your helicopter leaves in two hours. And now, if Marshall can calm down enough, he will introduce your Op-Tech."**

**"Heh, yes sir, Mr. Rolling Sloane—Mr. Sloane."**

* * *

_"Hey, Marshall!" Nadia said cheerfully. "I so beat Weiss at bowling."_

_"What do you mean bowling?" Marshall asked, confused. "You went bowling instead of looking for your sister, Vaughn, and a potentially dangerous terrorist!"_

_"What are you talking about?" Weiss asked, concerned._

_"Syd and Vaughn are missing?" Nadia asked, suddenly wiping the smile off of her face._

_"Duh," Marshal shot back. "I told you that three hours ago… and did I just say, gulp, duh?"_

Nadia shook her head. "Marshall, what are you talking about?"

"Y-you mean you really don't know?"

"What clued you in?" Weiss folded his arms across his chest. "Sydney and Vaughn are missing, and you didn't call us?"

Marshall's face flushed.

"But…you came to the briefing…Mr. Bristow told you all about it…and…and…you left two hours ago in a helicopter to go find Syd and Vaughn! Or at least…we all thought you did…well, I did…but…Okay now I'm really confused!"

**"Don't be. We just found got a call from the pilot asking why Nadia and Weiss didn't show up," Dixon said, walking in. **

**"But…if it wasn't you…" Marshall was flustered. "Well, if you didn't get on that helicopter, then my name isn't Marshall J Flinkman! And I'm…pretty sure…it is… That's what my mom calls me anyway… But…"**

**"Marshall. Stop babbling."**

**Mr. Bristow stood there. "It seems that Nadia and Weiss—who we thought were Nadia and Weiss, at least—never came within twenty miles of the airport."**

**"But…that would mean…"**

**"They took a car to Santa Barbara," Jack said in his serious voice.**

_"ARE YOU SERIOUS?" Marshall screamed._

_"NO," Jack shot back._

_"Nice one Mr. Bristow," Marshall laughed._

_"I try," Jack replied._

_"Really?" Marshall asked in surprise._

_"No," Jack said flatly._

Nadia and Weiss shifted, still a little bewildered.

"Well…then…" Marshall suddenly became sullen, "If that – the first Nadia and Weiss I mean – if they weren't really Nadia and Weiss…then…who were they?"

The room went silent. "W-what…were they?"

"I don't know," Mr. Bristow admitted harshly. "But whoever they were, they did not depart on the helicopter, leaving you two another chance." He nodded toward Agents Santos and Weiss. "Go. Marshall will brief you through your ComNet on the way there."

"Great plan, Mr. Bristow," said Marshall almost nervously, "but…how do we make sure these guys are the real Nadia and Weiss?"

"Poke me with a stick why don't you?" Weiss laughed.

"Actually, that sounds like a good idea." Jack stepped forward, pulling a needle from his jacket pocket.

"You're serious – "

"Always am."

* * *

**"I never really did like him." **

**"You're just saying that because he poked a needle into you, Eric," Nadia laughed.**

**"…Maybe I am."**

_"Maybe you are," Nadia said, grinning._

_"That man should really try pulling that stick out of his a…" Weiss said as Marshall cut him off._

_" Okay, your mission is simple," Marshall started, "all you have to do is find Sydney, Vaughn, and Sark and return them safely after finding the uncharted spit of land that Sark made them crash on."_

_Jack's eyes burned into Marshall. "You failed to inform me of this very important piece of information that could have saved me a lot of researching and priceless time? Now, when again were you planning on telling me this? Before, or after Sark escapes our grasp?"_

Marshall seemed a little embarrassed.

"I…uh…well…the whole excitement of the matter sort of…uh…"

"Never mind," Weiss rolled his eyes.

"Just tell us how Sark made them crash," Nadia stated.

"Well…it's actually a pretty interesting little story – "

"Or a four-hundred page novel…" Weiss snickered.

" – but after reviewing the feedback, I noticed something just wasn't…you know…as a detective would say…right. So I checked it out further and discovered a faint signal…very faint…almost undetectable…well, faint, and radiating so rapidly it was invisible to the human eye and most equipment. Only after I ran it through some of the more high-tech scanners was I able to pinpoint the location of the signal…which took, amazingly, only a few minutes…believe it or not…and I came up with a substance. A bomb."

"Impossible," Jack snorted. "Sark had no time to insert a bomb."

"No! You see, it wasn't impossible, because one: It wasn't your standard bomb. No wires…but a new, very new, internal power source that runs a timer. A time bomb. A new one…like I said, very new…I can only wonder at how he got a hold of one…but it's called an Artium device, and two: It's small. Really small…it was probably stuck on the floor of the chopper from the bottom of Sark's shoe. Very clever…but not clever enough to fool Flinkman's scanners!"

**"MARSHALL."**

**"Well…it was timed to go off at a certain location…but I guess the helicopter kinda spun outta control…and then you know, BOOM! Heh, boom, like a crash, you get it? Ha…you…don't…never…mind."**

_"So do we have any idea where the signal was directed to?" Nadia asked, trying to get off the other subject._

_"Yes and no," Marshall replied. "See the bomb was set to go off on an island about 20 minutes away, but every team we have sent out either they couldn't find it or they disappeared."_

_" Oh, how reassuring." Weiss stated sarcastically._

_"Okay, we are going radio silent for a while so keep in touch when needed and let us know if anything unusual happens," Jack broke in._

_" Agreed," Nadia replied as she turned her radio down._

* * *

"Don't you find it…a little strange?" Nadia walked next to Weiss out of the briefing room and out to where they were to meet their driver, the one that would take them to waiting chopper.

"What? That someone managed to clone all my good looks and me convincingly enough to fool Mr. Bristow? Yeah."

Nadia blew air out of her cheeks.

"That's not what I meant," she sighed.

"Yeah…you mean about how people that pretended to be us just waltzed right into the briefing, listened to the entire thing, and then didn't even get on the helicopter…What is that about?"

"I really don't know. I just hope Sydney and Vaughn are alright…where ever they are."

**TBC…**

* * *

END OF CHAPTER

* * *

Lils: So, you all know the drill, right? You've already read, and now it's time to REVIEW! Gah! I'm all alone down here again…so sad. Terrible. OH HEY! It's Marshall come to keep me company!

Marshall: Uh…hello. And who are you?

Lils: DUH! ONE OF THE WRITERS OF THIS STORY.

Marshall: Oh…that's interesting because…I just wanted to talk to one of you.

Lils: REALLY.

Marshall: Yeah…you see, in your story you make me sound like…well…a babbling…idiot.

Lils: (blank stare) And this is news to me…how?

Marshall: Well I never –

Lils: HA! Now I made you sound like my grandmother!

Marshall: Cut it out!

Lils: No. HAHA!

END

OF INSANITY.

FOR NOW.

REVIEW!


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Jaye: Welcome back to chapter five! This story is really fun, and right now we are writing on pure caffeine and insanity because it is 11:56 PM! BWA HA! I have received the Ultima Keyblade and almost beat Sephiroth! YAYS! SUGAR HIGHNESS! Also, I got the lyrics to Sadie Said on on a memorial thingy for Charlie, so yeah.**

Lils: As Jaye said, welcome to chapter five! Haha! AND WE BOTH HAVE BEAT SEPHIROTH SO BOO YA! Oh yeah and this is important as well: Our guest writer, sadly, will be absent for this chapter, so now _italics_ represent thought, normal italics for me, and bold for Jaye. And now to reply to reviews!

Luthien and Tari Oronar: You're confused? HA HA! No, just kidding…we meant it to be confusing.

Mizzle fo' Rizzle: It JUST got weird interesting? Wasn't it interesting before? ((huff)) but we will answer your questions in good time, my friend. And yes, two of us are from MO. Court and I are in Lee's Summit…BUT THAT'S ALL I CAN TELL YOU! Hee…and good thing you're a girl…because if you weren't and acted all enthusiastic about seeing cute Charlie and his guitar I'd be like…WEIRDO…and yeah.

Dandan2300: We're crazy? Thank you. And the thing with Marshall…eh…I was really in an odd mood that day…but I'm glad it amused you.

Irionelissa: Lost in your own mind? Oh that's not good…thanks for reviewing!

Jaye Black: Yes, we all know that…AND GUESS WHAT? SO ARE YOU!

Lils Evans: Yes well…I AM the smart one. ((ducks as Jaye tries to knock my head off))

Lils: NOW! ON WITH THE CHAPTER!

* * *

Chapter Five: **Arrival of the Others**

**Charlie sat, looking into the fire, gently plucking the strings of his guitar and singing "Sadie Said".**

"**Why is it you consume me?**

**I can't think, I can't breathe**

**Without the feel of your skin**

**The touch of your mouth is everything**

**I am lost in loving you, in needing you**

**In wanting you silently and secretly…"**

"**That's a beautiful song," Claire said, surprising him and causing him to jump slightly.**

**Charlie smiled. "Thanks."**

"**It's called Sadie Said." **

**Charlie jumped again and turned. Mel was sitting there, bouncing her feet against the rock she was sitting on.**

"**Yeah…that's right."**

"**You wrote it, huh?" **

"**Yes…"**

"**I like that song, too, Claire. Oh, do you guys want me to leave and give ya some space?" Mel giggled. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get that a lot. Later, lover birds."**

**As she walked off, Charlie and Claire both blushed bright red. **

"So…" Claire cleared her throat. "What do you think about…all this?"

"About all what?" Charlie set his guitar down.

"About…what's been going on lately."

"A lot has been goin' on lately," said Charlie. _You just don't remember most of it._

"D'you think it was those agents?" Claire asked. Charlie was taken aback.

"W-what do you mean?"

Claire pulled her legs up to her chest, and crossed her arms over her knees.

"I know…I don't remember…" she said sadly. "But I do know that ever since those guys came, things have been…happening."

"But…Sydney…she saved my life!" Charlie cried. Claire stayed quiet for a while, until she sighed.

"But he came with them, Charlie. The one who did that to you."

Charlie felt the stinging sensation around his neck. "They're outsiders, Charlie."

"And what's bad about havin' two bloody agents with us?" Charlie argued. Claire shook her head and stood up, trudging off without another word. Charlie put his head in his hands, but never realized who was standing behind him. Never noticing Sydney as she turned and left the beach.

* * *

**Sydney sniffled. Vaughn walked up and sat down next to her. "What's up?"**

"**It's just…some of them think that we're…outsiders. That it's our fault that all of this is happening…and in a way…it is, Vaughn. If we hadn't come, if we'd protested against Sark coming…Charlie wouldn't have been kidnapped. He wouldn't have been drugged and cut open by Sark."**

"**Syd…who said that?" Vaughn asked, seriously.**

**Sydney held her head in her hands and let the tears fall.**

"I hate this island," she said finally, glaring up at the sky and everything around her as if her gaze could destroy it.

"Hey," Vaughn patted her back comfortingly. "We won't be here for long," he said firmly. "They'll come for us and take us home, along with everyone else here."

Sydney nodded and smiled, but on the inside she was just as dismayed. Somehow, Vaughn saw through her…he always did. "Syd. Look at me. They'll come."

"Who?" Sydney chocked.

"Our agency. Our _friends_. Who knows? I'll bet Nadia, Weiss, Marshall, and everybody back at APO are running around like…like chickens with their heads cut off trying to figure out a way to get us off this place."

The analogy made Sydney laugh.

"**Jeez…But…I guess that you're right. Nadia and Weiss would be looking for us." She rolled her eyes. "If they aren't out _bowling_ for the tenth time this week."**

**Vaughn snickered. "True." **

* * *

Sark stomped through the jungle, throwing the lush green plants out of his way as he went, his wrist throbbing.

So now what? What was the plan? He realized suddenly that he didn't have a _plan_ anymore. He also knew he couldn't last long in the jungle without supplies…good thing he had hidden the gun case, though. Maybe then he could hunt –

He started. Something in the jungle was moving ahead of him. He shivered. Maybe it was that monster he had heard…The leaves rustled just a head, and Sark found himself moving back. He stumbled over a root just as a bald head poked through the leaves.

He struggled to remember the name.

"Locke!" he said finally. The bald man just stared at him. It was then Sark noticed the man had a knife on his belt. His eyes slid toward it, and Locke's gaze followed.

"Oh don't worry," he said as he pulled the knife from his belt. It was shockingly long and sharp. "I only use this to…ah…well I was hunting, actually. You know this island has a large supply of wild boar. You know what boar are? They're like big pigs. Only meaner, faster, and harder to find."

Sark didn't know what to say. He just stared, numbly. "I've been hunting them for a while now. Funny I should run into you. The one everyone else is hunting." Locke gave his knife an expert twirl. "But you don't need to worry about this. Just come back to the camp – "

"I see where this is going," Sark hissed, standing and pulling himself up to his full height. To his dismay he was still much smaller than Mr. Locke.

"You do? Then there's no use – "

Locke froze in mid-sentence. His head turned toward the sky. Soon Sark heard it too…the beating of helicopter blades.

He put his head down and ran before Locke could say another word. More agents were coming…he had to get away…

If only they knew the "agents" weren't who he thought they were.

* * *

**Sydney's head jerked up at the sound of the chopper blades. "It's a helicopter!" **

**Vaughn followed her gaze. "It is! See? I told you that they would come for us!" **

Jack came sprinting out of the trees and out onto the open beach to get a better view of things, the rest of the survivors coming out behind him. Sydney and Vaughn tromped out last, followed by a slightly harassed-looking Hurly as he struggled to keep up with the rest of the group.

"Dude…what's goin' on?" he panted as Sydney bobbed just ahead of him. She was smiling widely, feeling the happiest she had sense…before she had stepped into that office to find Sark waiting for her.

"I think our agency is here!" she gasped, coming to a skidding stop in the sand. She stepped beside Vaughn and braced herself, waiting for the chopper to come to a landing somewhere near by.

But it never did land.

"Wha – we have to follow it!" someone from the crowd called. Sydney thought it was Michael, but she couldn't be sure. "Maybe they can't see us here!"

"Hang on a second….it's getting farther off!"

Gasps circulated throughout the gathering. Sydney felt her heart sink.

"Wait!" she screamed, plowing forward.

"Sydney!" Vaughn took off after her, but couldn't go fast considering his stitches, but Sydney didn't mind him. She sprinted down the beach, waving her arms at the fading noise, her heart pounding.

"WAIT! DOWN HERE! WAIT! WE'RE DOWN HERE!"

Suddenly, the chopper was illuminated. It was hovering just above the trees, shining a spotlight down into the forest. Sydney recognized that maneuver…they were dropping something – or someone – off. But –

"SYDNEY! OVER HERE!"

Sydney drew away from the sight reluctantly and ran right into Vaughn. His eyes were wide and confused.

"Vaughn?"

"Syd…wait up!"

"But – that helicopter – " She turned around. There was no sight of the chopper or any noise whatsoever. The night was still. "What?"

**"Syd…"**

"**Vaughn—they were dropping someone off. They had to be. Didn't you realize that—?"**

"**Well, then let's go find them and tell them to bring the helicopter over here," Vaughn said.**

"**I don't think so." Jack was shaking his head. **

"**Why the hell not?" Syd asked bluntly. **

**Jack raised an eyebrow. "You're both injured. I'll go—anyone else that wants to come can. Except for you two…and Charlie."**

**Charlie shrugged. He wasn't exactly eager to go tramping off into the jungle of mystery at the moment anyway. Not with Sark on the loose… _Nutter. _**

"**But—" Sydney protested. **

"**NO," Jack said firmly. "Unless you want them to find a casket waiting. You guys are insane, jumping up after injuries like that."**

**Sydney drew herself up to full height—wincing as she did so—and looked Jack in the eyes. "Listen. I got shot, I got buried alive—and guess what? I was at work the next day, getting briefed for the next mission. You can't stop me from coming. Besides, I want to see whom they sent to get us. My sister could be there."**

**Jack held his ground. In the end, him, Sawyer, Michael, and Kate were the ones that got to go find the helicopter. Kate gave Sydney an apologetic look. **

**As they were about to vanish into the jungle, Jack turned around. "It's for your own good. Just know that."**

**Then they were gone. The crowd dispersed until only Sydney was left to sulk. She waited a few minutes, and then grinned recklessly. "No one's been able to stop me before…" she whispered. **

**She snatched up a water bottle from the cooler and followed the path the other four had left.**

* * *

**Carter sat, tossing a hacky-sack that he'd pulled out of his pocket. He had his back against a tree, and was throwing the ball up and down, thinking. **

**_What does he have that I don't? _He thought. _Why does she like him more than me?_ **

* * *

Locke was gone. He didn't put up a chase, and frankly, Sark was beyond caring. He ran through the jungle for a while, then came to a full stop.

_What am I doing?_ He wondered, and shook his head, cradling his wrist. He gazed numbly around the forest in which he was in, listening to the faint beating of the chopper blades. They seemed to stay in a relative position…not heading for the beach.

But why not? He was sure the other survivors would be gathered there, so why did it seem the chopper was neglecting them?

What if they had a different purpose?

His thoughts were interrupted by a disturbance that sounded very near. Instinctively, he ducked down, but could not seem to be satisfied with cowering on the ground. He crouched, peering over the tall underbrush…

And there, marching through the jungle, were Agents Santos and Weiss. They seemed to be making a trek to the beach, but then why hadn't they just landed the chopper there?

Feeling lost and confused, Sark stepped back and snapped back a huge leaf. It hit him in the back of his head with an audible _thuwump_, and instantly, the two agents turned toward him.

**"Hello Julian."**

* * *

"**Hey, Charlie, have you seen Syd?" Vaughn asked. Charlie looked up from his guitar, and shook his head slightly. (A/N: Jaye: So it didn't hurt his neck any more than it had to. Poor Charlie.) **(A/N: Lils: AWWW! POOR CHARLIE!)

"**She gone missing again?"**

"**Yeah…" Vaughn said slowly. "Oh no." **

**It suddenly dawned on him. Sydney had never let herself be left out of a mission. And this would be no different. **

**Jack, Sawyer, Michael, and Kate hiked through the jungle.**

"**Do you think we're getting closer?" Michael asked.**

"**Yeah," Kate nodded. "I think we are…hey! Did you hear that?"**

"**Did we hear what?" Jack asked, stopping and turning around.**

"**I thought that I heard a gun shot…"**

"**The All-Mighty Kate, losin' her grip," Sawyer smirked.**

"**Shut _up_," Kate hissed. "I heard it. I know I did."**

"**You just keep tellin' yerself that, sweetheart."**

"No…" Kate shook her head, frustrated. "I know a gunshot when I – "

A booming sound rang through the jungle, echoing through the silence that fell instantly after the report. Jack looked back at Sawyer and Kate, both of which had turned their heads toward the noise. "This way!"

"KATE, WAIT!" Jack cried. "Stop! You can't just run out there! You'll get yourself killed!"

"Jack, let go of me!" Kate screamed, and tried to pull herself from his grasp. "We don't have much time, we have to follow it!"

"Kate – "

"Jack!" Kate looked close to tears now, and she struggled even harder. "Don't tell me what I can't do! I can do this, Jack! LET GO OF ME!"

Jack let go and Kate took off, Sawyer and Michael taking off after her. After a few moments, Jack followed their trail, the leaves whipping at his face, arms, and legs. He had sprinted for about a minute or so when Michael suddenly stopped a head of him.

"What – " He leaned forward and saw the leaves rustling a little ways in front of Kate, who was in front of the pack. He strained his ears and heard shouts, desperate shouts. He recognized the voice and gasped.

**"YOU!" Kate shouted. "Sark!"**

**The Brit turned around. He looked extremely battered and pale. "Agent Austen. We meet again."**

"**Why did you hurt Charlie like that?" Kate demanded. "What did he do to deserve that?"**

**Sark raised an eyebrow at her. "Agent Austen—Kate."**

"**Don't call me by my first name like you know me," Kate snarled.**

But somehow Sark didn't seem to hear her. "Hey, I'm talking to you, you hear me?"

"I'm afraid we don't have much time," he said, and Kate noticed for the first time he was shaking, and catching frequent glances over his shoulder. His right arm seemed to be a bit crippled, and he was breathing heavily.

"Oh," said Kate, laughingly. "I think we have all the time in the – HEY!"

Sark had turned again, only to run directly into Sawyer's quite solid, outstretched arm. Sawyer's fingers quickly closed like iron around Sark's jacket collar. "Slow down there," he said, his face dark. "Where's the fire?"

Unfortunately, Sawyer's question was answered by another barrage of bullets, sounding this time closer than it had ever been.

"Who's shooting?" he demanded of thin air, because like him, no one else had an answer. No one, it seemed, but the shooter themselves. This time a near-by group of thick leaves was blown apart. Jack screamed, his hands over his head. Sark struggled to get away from Sawyer with no avail; the man's grip had now moved to his throat, intent now on throttling him.

"Sawyer, stop trying to strangle him and – " But Michael was cut short. Two figures emerged from the forest. Sark gasped for breath and squirmed now more than ever. "Hey, are you guys – "

"GET DOWN!" Kate screamed just as the female of the two drew her handgun and pointed it at Michael.

**All of them hit the dirt in seconds. Sawyer had given Sark's neck a final squeeze, and then all but thrown him onto the ground.**

"**Where are Bristow and Vaughn?" the gun wielder snarled.**

"**Don't answer!" Kate whispered.**

"**Oh, you'll answer!" the male said, cocking his own gun.**

"**Drop the gun and step away!"**

**The sharp voice caused everyone to stare into the jungle. Sydney pushed past the leaves of a tree and stepped forward, gun in hand.**

"**I don't know who you are, or why you're pretending to be Eric and Nadia—but you aren't them. Back away, and drop the guns or I'll shoot!" Sydney growled.**

"But…Sydney," said the woman, Nadia. "We just thought…Syd, it's so good to see you!" Nadia ran forward as if to give Sydney a hug, but she quickly staggered away.

"The helicopter wasn't real!" she cried, knocking her half-sister's hands away. "You can't be here!"

"You know these people?" Kate asked, her voice quivering. She was now looking at Sydney, her expression the same as all the other survivors on the ground: horror-struck.

"No," said Sydney earnestly, backing away further. She closed her eyes, aimed, and pulled the trigger of the handgun she had stashed, feeling as though she would need it before setting off after the group. Turns out, she was right in thinking so.

"AHHHRRRG!"

Nadia fell to her knees, clutching her leg. When she looked up at Sydney again, her face had changed. It was…_blurry_…her eyes hard and unseeing. Weiss moved behind her, pulling up his own weapon, oblivious to the hissing screams of his partner.

"RUN!" Sydney screamed, and turned, only to see that most of the others had already regained their feet. Sawyer was wrestling with Sark, who was fighting to run in the opposite direction, back into the heart of the jungle his presence had haunted. If Sydney didn't know any better, she would have thought Sawyer was rather enjoying twisting his right arm in a way that made him scream. "SAWYER, TAKE HIM AND RUN!"

It was obvious Sawyer did not like taking orders from anyone, especially Sydney. "GO!" she shrieked still louder, her own gun aimed at the fake Weiss's forehead. Finally, with rough persuasion from the doctor, Michael, and Kate, Sawyer turned and ran, the three of them pushing Sark along with them.

It was only Sydney and the others now.

**"Who are you, who do you work for, and what are you doing here?" Sydney shot.**

"**Syd—"**

"**WHO ARE YOU?"**

* * *

**Charlie** was sitting in the sand next to Hurley, not really saying anything or doing anything. He was just watching the waves roll in and out, in and out.

"Dude, you okay?"

Charlie's head twitched as he slowly turned his neck, feeling the dried scabs crackle. The pain was dull; he hardly even noticed it above the weird crackling sensation.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You don't look fine."

Charlie fought annoyance toward Hurley and managed a smile.

"You know, if they find the helicopter, we could be getting off this island today." He turned back to the sea, smiling faintly, his eyes distant. "We could finally get off this place."

"Dude, that's kinda weird, don't you think? I mean, we've been callin' this place home for a while now."

"Yeah," nodded Charlie. "I know."

"CHARLIE!"

The scream cut through the calming roar of the waves, and Charlie turned to see Claire running at him, her blonde hair streaking in front of her face. "They brought him back, Charlie!"

* * *

Sawyer, Kate, Michael, and Sark burst through the forest and onto the lightly beaten trail that led to the caves. They didn't stop running until they heard the sound of the waterfall.

"Let – go!"

"Fine, if that's what you want." Sawyer grabbed Sark's shoulders and flung him across the caves and into the rock wall. Then he took off after him, first raised above the horrified terrorist's head. "I can't tell you how badly I – "

"What's going on here?"

Sawyer turned to see an assortment of shocked-looking survivors standing at the far end of the caves. Jack and Sayid stood at the group's head.

**Charlie stood behind them; an arm around Claire and a strange look on his face—somewhere between being terrified and wanting to stay strong for Claire, who was currently cutting off the circulation in his arm. **

"**Sawyer—quit it!" Jack shot.**

**Sawyer stared at Jack in disbelief. "After every thing he did—you want me to quit it? Are you insane, doc?" **

"**No, Sawyer—just listen! We can fix the handcuffs—or if Vaughn and Sydney brought some, we can use those. We handcuff him—both hands—around a pole or something, and then we guard him—make sure he can't…hurt anyone else." He glanced at Charlie, who was staring at Sark.**

**Sark met his gaze and sneered. Charlie turned and walked away, eyes wide. Claire followed. Sark started to sit up. Sawyer pulled the gun out of his pants and pointed it. **

"**No way, Agent boy, not for one second!" he snarled.**

**Sark lied back down on the ground, looking more terrified than Vaughn had ever seen him. Vaughn stepped forward, pulling a pair of handcuffs from his pocket. Vaughn jerked Sark to his feet, pulled his arms behind him, and snarled, "Try something and I swear you'll regret it."**

**Sark was too weak to fight back after his encounters with Fake Nadia and Fake Weiss and Sawyer. **

He kept his eyes down while he past Sawyer and the rest of the group, headed for a thinly forested area at the edge of the waterfall. He heard the southern man shout something like, "You think you can?" and, "Not the boss," but he wasn't really listening. It wasn't until agent Vaughn spun him quickly around did he seem to snap out of his trance.

"Why'd you do it?" Vaughn demanded. "You could have stayed in the caves in the first place. You could have avoided all that."

"Ah, but that option didn't seem very exciting."

"I asked you for an answer, not lip," snapped Vaughn, looking furious. "Why'd you pick him? Charlie? _Why not me?"_ Vaughn unhooked one of the handcuffs, swung it behind the nearest, sturdy-looking tree, and viciously tightened it again around Sark's crippled wrist.

Sark met Vaughn's gaze, ice-into-fire, it seemed.

"In your haste it seems you have forgotten someone." He raised an eyebrow, eyes dark, and nodded toward the forest. "She's still out there."

"She's where?" Vaughn was suddenly eccentric. "Sydney's out there – "

"Alone? Yes."

Vaughn looked longingly at the jungle around him, and then back at Sark. "Since I know how much you and Sawyer are getting along, I'll let him guard you." He watched, satisfied, as the smirk melted off Sark's face.

"You'd better watch your back, Agent Vaughn," he hissed, but the agent, it seemed, was past hearing. He was running back toward the gaggle of people, his mind far away.

* * *

**Sydney gave a roundhouse kick to the fake-Eric. He took the brunt of it on his arm, wincing slightly, but kept fighting as if nothing had happened. Sydney's wounds had reopened, and she could feel that she was weakening. **

**And suddenly they weren't alone. Fake-Eric's eyes rolled back in his head, and he fell to the ground as someone smacked him over the head. Vaughn was revealed behind him, looking concerned. "Hey Syd." **

"Vaughn, that – those aren't – " But then Fake Nadia stood up, screeching inhumanly, and grabbed a handful of Sydney's hair. She yanked back, and tears welled in Sydney's eyes.

"SYD!"

Sydney dropped to the ground and kicked up, knocking Fake Nadia off her feet and onto the ground. After that she felt she couldn't move. She crouched there in the mud, her hands gripping her stomach, tears of anguish streaming down her face.

She suddenly felt a warm hand on her shoulder and looked up. "Syd, c'mon, we've gotta go!"

"No…" she sputtered. "We've got to finish them – "

But then, out of nowhere, Sydney's world went dark. She went limp in Vaughn's arms, who, breathing heavily, had begun to carry her through the jungle.

* * *

"**Charlie…you can't…"**

"**I have to, Claire. It's my only hope."**

**Charlie walked over to Sark and stared at him with hatred etched on every part of his face. "Sark. I want to know why."**

"**Back off, VH1," Sawyer shot. "You're within his reach." **

**Charlie, surprised that Sawyer was giving a care about anyone but himself, took a few steps back. "Why?" he repeated.**

"**Because you found me. And you looked pathetically weak," Sark spat.**

"Well at least I'm not the one handcuffed to a tree, now am I?"

"No," said Sark slowly. "It doesn't seem so, does it?"

Charlie looked as though he might say something else, but Sark beat him to the point. "But you are the one with the scars around your neck. It seems someone before me thought you were exceptionally feeble as – "

Claire marched forward, her eyes blazing, and smacked him across the face. Sawyer did nothing but stand and stare in awe.

"DON'T CALL HIM WEAK! HE WAS PROTECTING ME!" she screamed hysterically.

"Hey…"

"HOW DARE YOU COME HERE AND – "

"HEY!" Sawyer stepped in between Sark and Claire. "I didn't ask for a shouting match, now did I?"

"Yeah well, I'm not finished with you!" Charlie growled, trying to side step the large southern man.

"**Go, VH1!" Sawyer shouted, glaring at him. "You want somethin' worse to happen?"**

**Charlie drew himself up to full height—he still only came up to about Sawyer's nose—and stared at him. "Is that a threat?"**

"**Get outta here, idiot," Sawyer said in disgust. "It's not like you can do anything about it anyway."**

**Charlie fumed. "What's that supposed to mean? I'M NOT USELESS!"**

"**Jeez, VH1, calm down!" **

Just then, as Charlie was debating how he should act next, Kate came crashing through the trees, her eyes wide. "What?" Sawyer sighed. "More of – "

"You haven't seen him, have you?" Kate asked feverishly.

"Who?" Claire asked, wiping the tears from her eyes, refusing to look at Sark, who was gazing absent-mindedly at Kate.

"Carter," Kate replied. "Mel and I have been looking and we can't – "

"Kate!" A teenage girl stumbled into the clearing. "It's Jack, he says he wants you!"

"But…Mel…aren't we supposed to be looking for Carter?"

The girl turned pale, but she seemed to hold her own. "But…it's Sydney and the other agent, Vaughn! They're back and she's hurt. Anyway," she added, going even paler. "I – I'm sure Carter's just at the beach…"

"Okay, well you go look then," said Kate, and then she turned to Charlie and Claire. "Come on. Get away from him." She glared at Sark and then took off back toward the caves, thinking of how busy the past few days had been.

* * *

"Jack, I'm here!" she called, running up to where Jack was standing over the "hospital bed", his back to her.

**"Jack! What happened?"**

**He turned slowly, and Kate noticed that his face was white—as was Vaughn's.**

"**What happened, Jack?"**

"**Kate…she's gone."**

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER FIVE!**

* * *

**Jaye: HA! CLIFFHANGERS RULE! Review people, review!**

Lils: (evil laughter) I'll have to agree with Jaye on that one. Cliffhangers are so funny! For us, anyway…I'm sure some of you want to rip our heads off right now…but you know what? To get an update you must review!


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Jaye: Hey, we're back again! Ha, duh! Yes, I know all of you must HATE us for that cliffhanger—but it was fun anyway! HA! (Guess who's sugar high!)**

Lils: Uh...you? Oy everyone! Just want to take time to say hullo…so…time up. I've got a life to attend to. ((turns back around)) Just kidding! Welcome to the grand opening of the long-awaited chapter six! After that last cliffhanger I'm surprised there weren't any riots!

Now, to reply to our reviewers:

Bec: Okay! Thanks for reviewing…twice. YOU MUST BE SO DEDICATED! ((lol))

Irionelissa: It's beginning to clear, you think? Hopefully…we wouldn't want you to be lost in your mind for too long…and the whole thing with Weiss and Nadia is SUPPOSED to be confusing!

Lil Aussie Alias Chick: Yes, but it is happening! ((maniacal laughter)) Thanks for reviewing!

Jaye Black: Eh. You again. JUST KIDDING! And I am back for your information. Now YOU get back from SCHOOL and frickin' e-mail me, okay?

Dandan2300: You're going to…kill us? IT WAS ALL JAYE'S EVIL PLAN! And yes, I shall join your cheers for Sark and… "Vaughnie"…

Vaughnloveralwaysandforev: Love your penname! And we are not mean…just…okay yeah. I'll go with you on that one. Ha.

Lils: NOW ON WITH THE CHAPTER!

* * *

Chapter six: Reflections

"What?" Kate staggered backward, horrified. Jack's words swam in and out of her head, and she found that she was shaking. The thought of Sydney being gone – the thought of her new friend and fellow, understanding agent not being there for her – was unbearable.

**"She's gone, Kate," Vaughn said hollowly. **

"**No…no," Kate said shakily. "What…what happened? How did she…how did this happen?"**

**  
Tears were streaming down her cheeks.**

"Two fake agents were in the helicopter…she fought them and the wounds split open…and she lost too much blood," Vaughn said.

He looked close to tears as well, but was standing tall, trying to hold it all in. Kate just shook her head at them and plowed through Jack. She gasped when she saw Sydney lying there, her eyes closed, her face seeming peaceful enough, but her shirt stained dark red.

"No," she gasped. "NO!" She grabbed Sydney's hand and stroked the hair back from her forehead. "We can save her!"

"Kate…" Jack looked petrified.

"I don't want to hear it!" Her mind reeled. "You brought C-Charlie back! E-even though he had been…uh…Jack, you can't let her die!" Her voice was trembling, high-pitched. It didn't sound like her voice at all.

"Kate – "

"YOU CAN SAVE HER!"

By this time, the crowd around Jack and Kate had gone silent. Claire buried her face in Charlie's shoulder, who was staring, misty-eyed, at Sydney's bloodstained chest. Kate burst into tears and, shoulders heaving, began to place her hands on Sydney's wounds. She had never been the doctoring type, but knew something about keeping pressure… "Jack, help me."

"Kate…"

"HELP ME!"

"KATE—SHE'S GONE! I CAN'T BRING HER BACK!" Jack shouted. An eerie silence followed. Kate stood up straight and smacked Jack across the face.

"**JUST HELP ME—"**

She looked desperately around the gathering, tears streaming down her face. "You brought Charlie…back…" When it seemed no one would help her, she turned to Sydney again. "I – I don't know what to do…I don't know what to do…"

And then someone peeled her away from Sydney's body. She turned to face Sun, who was carrying a bunch of green herbs. "Oh, Sun…not – "

"They will help!" Sun said earnestly. Jack looked amazed. Sun pressed forward, pulling Sydney's shirt up just far enough to reveal the wounds caused by the monster. They had stopped bleeding, and were now oozing slightly; purple forming around each tear in Sydney's flesh, standing out horribly against the agent's deathly pale complexion.

**Jack took a step back. "There's nothing you can do…guys…there's no way…"**

"**Don't tell me what I can't do," Kate shot, wiping her tears away.** "Sun, what do I need to do?" she asked, fighting to keep her voice calm.

"Try to revive her," said Sun as she began to spread the crushed herbs on Sydney's wounds. Kate looked back at Jack, her eyes hard.

"Okay." She leaned over Sydney.

* * *

"I have to admit," said Sawyer in his southern drawl. He was seated on the forest floor, his arms folded behind his head, his dusty blonde hair hiding his eyes, "she's got a pretty good arm, don't cha think?"

Sark had sunk to his knees, tired of standing, and was glaring at the matted assortment of leaves, grass, and mud that was the ground. Sawyer laughed unpleasantly. "Don't feel bad," he said. "I've gotten hit by _Kate_ plenty of – "

"Sawyer."

Sark looked up and saw Agent Vaughn and Sayid walking into the clearing. Sighing, he looked back down at a yellow leaf some inches below his nose.

"Yeah? What do you want, Mohammad? And what about your girlfriend, there, CIA?"

"Cute nicknames," Vaughn muttered. Sark could tell he was annoyed just by the tone of his voice.

"Well? It's sweet that you've come to see me 'n all, but…"

"We're not here to see you," said Sayid. Sark felt a shadow fall over him, and he lifted his gaze to see the dark-skinned man crouching down in front of him. "We're here about the weapon case."

His voice, Sark decided, was not cold, but it wasn't friendly either. "You're going to tell us where it is, aren't you?"

"No."

**"You might want to rethink that, Sark," Vaughn said. HIS voice, Sark noted, _was _cold, but also hoarse, as though something had happened that had shaken him horribly.**

"**Where is Agent Bristow?" Sark suddenly asked. "Surely she would like a part in making me miserable."**

"**Yeah, she would," Vaughn said in a closed off voice. "If she were still…breathing."**

**Sark raised his eyebrows. This was a shock to him…and as much as Sark had wanted her dead, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness and grief for his long-time foe. "She's…dead?"**

"**Yeah. Yeah, she…she is," Vaughn ran a hand over his face. **

"**How, may I ask, did it happen?" **

"**Where, may I ask, is the gun case?" Vaughn said, the hard, cold mask being pulled back on.**

"**I asked you first," Sark said simply.**

**In a swift move, Vaughn pulled Sark to his feet and pinned the smaller man to the tree, his legs at least a half a foot from the ground, with his arm. He slammed his other fist into Sark's face and let go. Sark fell in a heap onto the ground. **

**Sawyer stared at Vaughn. "You got a good arm too, CIA," he said, glaring at Sark with a smug look in his eyes. "Mind if I try?"**

**Vaughn turned slightly and glared at him. "You'll get your turn."**

* * *

**Melanie was sobbing into her hands when Claire walked up to her. "Hey…what's…what's wrong?" Claire asked.**

"**It's Carter!" Melanie cried. "I can't find him! I've looked all through the jungle, back at the old camp, in the caves, around the beach—I can't find him anywhere! I'm so scared! And no one's helping me! Ana Lucia's hurt, so she can't; the Agent woman's dead, so Kate and the doctor are there—everyone else is torturing that git that hurt Charlie—no one will help!"**

"**I'll help," Claire offered. "And…I'm sure Charlie will too…I'm not signing him up for anything, but I can ask him…"**

"**Thank you so much!" **

Claire smiled, although she still felt somewhat troubled. Everywhere she went there was a tragedy going on. There was no rest, nowhere to feel calm…but the hopeful look in Mel's eyes gave her new strength.

"No trouble. Where did you last see him?"

Melanie pressed her arm under her nose and sniffed, hard.

"I…after Charlie came back, I think," she said. "He was acting really weird, you know, just not like Carter. I understand it was his birthday…but ever since we went and found Charlie he just…" Tears welled up in her eyes again. "We have to find him!"

"Melanie…calm down…"

"He can't be out there alone. He'll get hurt just like Charlie and Sydney!"

* * *

"You tell us where the case is and this will all stop."

Sark looked up at Sayid. His vision was blurry, his head swimming, throbbing, but he could still see the glint in Sayid's dark eyes. It was confusing…hatred and calm rolled into one, big, swirling color…Things were beginning to slip away from him. Simple things – things he should know – they were all disappearing in the darkness that was slowly sweeping into the corners of his mind. "Julian, just tell us where the case is."

Sayid looked into Sark's eyes. There was still no answer waiting there. He sighed. "You are only causing yourself pain," he said miserably, and then stepped back into the huddle made by Sawyer, Vaughn, and himself. "This is not working."

"What are you talking about?" Sawyer hissed. "You got answers outta people for a living. This guy can't be any diff'rnt"

"Sometimes it takes more than a senseless beating to get answers," said Vaughn. "Sometimes it just takes the right person, and none of us are it."

**"Who is it then, CIA?" Sawyer snarled.**

"**Lauren," Sark whispered. Vaughn closed his eyes and took a deep breath.**

"**Sark—Lauren's _dead. _She can't be here!" **

"**Who's Lauren?" Sawyer asked, now interested.**

"**My ex-wife. She tried to kill me…and Syd…" Vaughn trailed off. **

"**She's the only one I'll tell…" Sark moaned.**

"**You're delusional!" Vaughn yelled.**

"**Only one…"**

* * *

**Carter leaned against a tree in the middle of the jungle, slowly drinking from his large water bottle and catching his breath. He had seen something…smoke, coming from somewhere on the other side of the jungle. He wanted to know what it was.**

**He sighed, put the cap back on his bottle, and started walking again. His dark hair was plastered to his forehead, but his face was set in a determined frown.**

**He felt a pang of guilt as he thought about how Melanie was probably going insane looking for him. He probably should have told her he was going, but then she would have gone along, and he couldn't have her get hurt.**

He leaned wearily away from the tree, waiting, watching. Of course he had heard all about what had happened to Sydney. He had been standing there, hidden, listening. The corners of his mind crawled with nightmarish thoughts. He saw himself lying on the "hospital bed", his eyes closed, never to open again.

Feeling squeamish, he pushed the thoughts from his mind and let a more calming image drift there…Melanie's face. She would be proud of him – she would have to be. After all, maybe what he had seen was a way to get her off the island.

As he walked onward, he silently chanted this: Proud. Home. Way off. Melanie.

* * *

If he wants to talk to a dead girl, he must've lost his mind," said Sawyer simply, flipping the hair from his face.

"That may be. But perhaps we can make him think he's talking to the woman he mentioned. Vaughn, what was Lauren like?"

* * *

"**Shannon, would you be able to help us?" Sayid asked the young blonde girl, after explaining the situation. **

"**No, Shan, you can't!" Boone protested.**

"**I will," Shannon said—mostly to spite her brother. "I just need to do a British accent and ask him where the gun case is?"**

"**Yes," Sayid nodded.**

"**Well, which way?"**

* * *

"**Carter! Carter!" Claire, Melanie, and Charlie were walking, shouting the boy's name over and over again.**

"**Carter, you git, come back!" Melanie screamed.**

"**OY! CARTER!" Charlie bellowed. _This is hopeless, _Charlie thought sadly. _There's no way we'll find him…_**

**But like Claire, he had been swayed to help—and now, to keep looking—by the lost, helpless look on Melanie's tear-streaked face.**

"Where could he have bloody disappeared to – ahh!" Charlie gasped and fell backwards as the bald head of John Locke poked through the leaves.

"Oh, it's just you," Claire breathed, who had also jumped.

"Sorry. Be on my way."

"No…wait…" Claire managed a stressed smile. "Could you help us?"

Locke looked down at the ground, then back at Claire. "Well I don't see why not. What can I help you with?"

"Well, it's my friend, Carter. He went off somewhere and we can't find him," explained Melanie. "He's taller than me, with dark hair…you haven't seen him, have you?"

"Can't say I have. But I'll tell you what. I'll help you look."

"Thank you!" Melanie said breathlessly.

Charlie hung back, and when it seemed no one would help him to his feet, he stood up grumpily and shoved his hands in his hoodie, thinking, _what is Locke doing out here?_

* * *

Shannon took a deep breath as she stepped up to the tree where Sark was handcuffed. She noticed at once how bad he looked, and at once felt a stab of pity. She made to step forward, but a hand held her back.

"Shannon, you don't have to – "

"Don't tell me what to do, Boone. Get off of me…I can do this. I can ask where he put the stupid gun case, okay?" She elbowed her way out of her stepbrother's grasp and bent down to the ground, trying to get her eyes level with those of the terrorist, just as Sayid had said.

"Um…Julian?" she asked, and heard her brother snicker. Her British accent needed work.

Sark looked up at her, seeming confused, half-awake. It then occurred to her that he had lost a lot of blood. She shivered. "C-can you tell me w-where the gun case is?"

"Louder," said Sayid. "More direct."

Shannon held her gaze.

"The gun case. Where did you hide it? Y-you can tell me."

**"Lauren…you came back," Sark moaned. "The gun case…it is in…a hatch…saying the numbers will…open it…"**

**Sark lost consciousness. Shannon shakily stood, then turned and gave Boone a weak smirk. "See?" she said. "I'm not worthless…"**

**Boone rolled his eyes and guided her back to the beach. **

* * *

**Kate, Sun, and Jack remained in the caves with the possibly dead Sydney.**

"Thanks for your help Sun," Kate said, unable to bring her voice above a whisper. She turned around, unable to look at Sydney anymore.

"Kate…" Jack bit his lip and ran a hand across his sweaty forehead.

"I'm fine." Kate's words were hollow. "I just need to…get some rest." With that, she left the caves and headed off toward the beach, Sun trailing behind her, leaving Jack standing alone with the agent. He felt his legs wobble, and took a seat on the ground, raking his hands through his short hair.

"Jack!"

Jack looked up, slightly annoyed, to see Sawyer, Vaughn, and Sayid running at him, each of them looking excited. "Jack, we know where the gun case is!" Vaughn cried.

"You know where the – where's Sark?"

"He's takin' a nap," Sawyer replied, smirking somewhat.

"But that's not important…" said Vaughn quickly. "We know where the gun case is! Take us to the hatch…"

"What hatch? You mean – " Jack's eyes suddenly glazed over. Vaughn didn't fully understand, but he went on.

"Sark said the weapon case was in the "hatch", and that we had to say the…the numbers to open it." He faltered. "Only…none of us know what the numbers are."

* * *

**Hurley sat on the beach, listening to his dying Walkman, and murmuring the numbers over and over again. "4…8…15…16…23…42…" **

"**Hey—Hurley? Those numbers…" Vaughn walked up to him. "Would you be able to write them down for us? We're using all number combinations that we can think of…"**

"**Uh…what numbers?"**

"**Hurley."**

"**Dude, the numbers—they're bad! You can't use them."**

Vaughn resisted the strong urge to roll his eyes.

"Hurley, this is important – "

"Yeah?" This news didn't seem to matter much to the large man.

"_Really_ important?"

"Dude, you can't use those numbers!"

"Why not?"

"Because…I wouldn't expect you to understand…but they're bad! They broke my mom's ankle, man." He saw the look on Vaughn's face and sighed. "And a lot of other bad stuff. Some dude went out the window!"

Vaughn leaned down in the sand, looking Hurley in the eyes.

"We need the numbers," he said firmly. Hurley squirmed, closed his eyes, and shouted,

"FOUR EIGHT FIFTEEN SIXTEEN TWENTY-THREE FORTY-TWO!"

"Thank – "

But remarkably, Hurley was already up and waddling away as fast as he could go across the beach. "Huh."

* * *

**Melanie was beyond scared now. Charlie was beyond annoyed now. Claire was beyond emotion.** (A/N – Lils: I laugh every time I read that…oh…sorry for the interruption)** She felt deep pity for the young, close to hysterical girl that was walking beside her. **

"**Do you think that he's…dead?" Melanie whispered.**

**Claire had no idea how to answer this. "I—I don't…"**

"Shh." Locke put his arm out. The troop stopped, close to toppling over each other.

"What is it?" Charlie asked grumpily. No one answered him; they were all staring through the dense leaves, trying to see what Locke saw.

"False alarm," Melanie said finally, sighing heavily. "A branch fell some ways off. Still no sign of…" It seemed as though she couldn't bring herself to finish. _Oh Carter…where are you? Please be okay,_ she thought desperately.

* * *

Carter paused again, feeling exceptionally hot, sticky, and lost. He smacked irritably at a think leaf that was in his way, and stepped forward, only to find that the landscape had changed quite dramatically, almost alarmingly. After ducking his way out of the thick underbrush, he found himself in a clearing, with waist-high grass all around him. The sun beat down on the slope he now stood on.

To one side there was jungle that swung around in an arch behind him. Out in the distance he could see the sea, and a thin line of powered gold; the beach that he had left. Above him the slope continued upward, the grass thinning as it met rock…

And sitting on top of one of the rock plateau was a tall, apparently man-made structure. Carter gasped, looking up at in awe. _A radio tower_. The explanation came to him from thin air, even though he had never seen a tower such as the one above him before.

**His heart started beating faster. He grinned triumphantly, and set out for the tower.**

* * *

"**You should probably go back," Locke said. "It's getting dark. I'll meet you here tomorrow morning, and we'll keep searching."**

**Melanie, who looked dead on her feet, shook her head. "No—I'm not going back without him!" she said weakly.**

"**Come on, Melanie!" Charlie said, looking concerned. "You're about to pass out—you need rest! I'll come back with you tomorrow!"**

**Melanie shook her head again. "No…" she whispered. She crumpled onto the ground, narrowly missing hitting her head only because Charlie caught her. **

"**We'll take her back…" he said, nodding to Locke. "And I'll be back with her first thing tomorrow."**

**Locke nodded, smiling. "All right. See you tomorrow, Charlie."**

**Charlie picked up Melanie, and started to carry her. Claire gave him a strange look.**

"**You don't look like you would be…able to carry someone by yourself," she said honestly, blushing slightly.**

"**Heh," Charlie said, grinning at her. "I used to carry the amps and instruments for the band, you know, before we hit it big and got roadies."**

"**Ah. Okay."**

"A-anyway…Claire…" he took a deep breath, remembering what he had tucked inside his bag. "If you knew something horrible about me, would you still – you know – like me?"

* * *

"I have the numbers!" said Vaughn as he trotted up to where Jack, Sayid, and Sawyer were waiting. "But…Hurley, the guy that gave them to me, said – "

"Never mind what Stay-Puff said," snapped Sawyer, suddenly back to his normal, grumpy self. "Let's just get that case. Unless you wanna stay and have a tea-party…"

Jack and Vaughn gave Sawyer exasperated looks.

"You know where this hatch is?" Vaughn asked.

"Yes," Jack and Sayid replied at the same time.

"Well isn't that sweet?" Sawyer drawled. "You all have your own little secret. You have a pledge, too? Cubscout?"

"Sawyer, shut up," Jack sighed, adjusting his pack. "We need to get moving before it gets too dark to find the way back."

They filed out of the caves, Jack leading the way. They cut through the dense jungle in silence, each of them tense. Finally they came to a stop at the edge of a trench. "Well, whaddya know?" Sawyer even laughed. "You have a clubhouse, too."

But the others ignored him. Jack and Vaughn jumped on to the hatch.

"He said we had to say them," Vaughn said, more to himself. He leaned over the foggy glass at the top of the hatch and repeated the numbers Hurley had given him, feeling a chill set over the forest as he did so.

**A deep yellow light came from the window of the hatch. Vaughn stood up and stepped back. The hatch opened…revealing a shallow pit with a case in it. Vaughn jumped down the six or so feet to the case.**

"Is it there?" Sayid called down.

"Yes!" Vaughn pulled up the case. He recognized it instantly. Standard CIA model, with insolated foam interior fitting four top-of-the-line handguns that meant business, two assembly-required rifles, a compact first-aid kit, a few pairs of plastic, adjusting handcuffs, and under a hidden flap, a compartment for needle injections. Vaughn remembered that Charlie had said something about an injection.

Feeling victorious, he heaved the case back up the ladder that led back up into sunlight. Jack grabbed it at once, heaving a sigh of relief. He didn't know why, but for some reason he felt better now.

"Nicely done," Sayid said, examining the case over Jack's shoulder. "We should head back now." He looked up at the sunlight that was quickly fading through the trees.

* * *

**Charlie and Claire sat by the fire, sharing one of the few blankets. Melanie was laying a little ways off, thoroughly exhausted. **

"**So," Charlie said quietly. "Do you think that we'll ever find this guy?"**

**Claire glanced at Melanie, then turned back to Charlie and shook her head. "But…you never know. Jack found you…and Locke and Boone found me, after almost a week. He's only been gone for a day. We might…still find him…"**

"**He didn't seem to like me very much," Charlie mused. "He was always glaring at me for some reason."**

"**I think he has a crush on Melanie," Claire whispered. "And I think that Melanie…has a crush on you. Might be a celeb-crush, but still. He's jealous of you."**

"**Do you know _everything?_" Charlie asked, bewildered.**

"**It's only a little bit obvious," Claire smirked.** Then her smile faded. "Charlie…when you said you wanted to tell me something, what was it?"

Charlie suddenly felt stiff.

"It's nothing, really…" he said, and shrugged. Claire looked disappointed, but didn't say more about it. They each scooted closer together, sharing the view of the stars.

* * *

Kate wiped her eyes for a final time. No more tears, she decided firmly. What is done is done.

Something inside her burned for revenge, the same hot anguish she had felt after…after Tom had died. Sydney was gone, and for some reason she felt it was her fault. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she was sure that it was. If she had just turned herself in instead of running…if she had just been braver, Sydney never would have come…Never would have died that way.

She felt she needed someone to talk to, but then again she just wanted to be left alone. Kate sighed, wondering what Jack was doing. If he was thinking about her.

And then, as though her mind had called him, she heard his voice through the jungle.

**"Kate? Are you okay?"**

"**No…she's gone," Kate whispered. "Funeral is tomorrow morning at dawn…"**

**Jack nodded sadly. He noted that Vaughn was in the corner of the cave, head in his hands, completely and totally silent. He looked back to Kate, who had salty tears running down her pale face.**

"**It'll…" Jack started to say_, "It'll be okay"_, but he knew that he shouldn't.**

"**I killed her," Kate whispered, turning away. "It's my fault. If I weren't on the plane…if I'd been braver, then she wouldn't have died, Vaughn wouldn't be miserable…"**

**Jack put his hand on her chin and gently moved her head back to face him. "Don't say that," he said softly. "This isn't your fault…there was nothing you could've done to stop it."**

"Hey." Sawyer stepped up behind them. "Lets end the soap opera, okay?"

"I think what Sawyer is leading up to is that we have found the weapon case," Sayid said quickly, giving the southern man a look. Meanwhile, Kate's heart leapt. Visions of marching into the jungle caring a huge machine gun and blowing the hell out of the fake agents that killed Sydney danced in her mind. It was a pleasant and comforting vision.

"I know that look," Jack said softly. "No one's going out there just yet."

"Why?"

"Because Kate!" Jack sounded irritated and tired. "We need to take a break! We've been at this for days now…I've had patients coming in non-stop – "

"So you're just going to sit on the beach for a few days and wait for the agents to come after us here? Would that make you feel better, Jack?" Kate couldn't stop herself. She stood up quickly and stormed off before the tears came again, no matter how hard she tired to force them back.

* * *

Julian Sark came to gradually, feeling as though he had been hit by a bus and left to die on the side of the road – it was that bad. His head was on the ground, his body twisted oddly due to the fact that he was still handcuffed to the tree. He tasted blood in his mouth, and imagined that his skin must be several shades of deep purple, maybe blue.

**For a moment, he didn't know where he was, and it sent a shock of fear through him…but he regained control as the memories came flowing back. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the tree, wincing in the pain that it caused.**

**He must have drifted off to sleep again, because it was considerably lighter than it had been when a rustling of the bushes brought him back to consciousness. The doctor, Jack, walked out, closely followed by that Sawyer and the Iraqi, Sayid. **

**Sark looked wearily up at them, not sure what to think. Jack shrugged off his black leather backpack, kneeled down, and unzipped it. **

"**You brought this on yourself, you know that right?" **

**Sark gave him the worst glare that he could in his current condition. **

"I – "

"Don't talk," the doctor said in an annoyingly calm voice, as though they were sitting in a check-up room. "I'll have to take off the handcuffs to clean you up right, and don't even think about trying anything. Even though you probably couldn't make it far – " He looked up at Sayid. "Was all this really necessary?" he asked. Sayid nodded. Sark chose not to say anything, but allowed the doctor to pull off the handcuffs, feeling a rush of relief as blood returned to his hands once again.

The "cleaning up" consisted of the doctor pouring a stinging liquid over some of Sark's deeper gashes, an examination of a cracked rib that was going to give him some grief but should heel – Sawyer laughed when he saw it – and the fitting of a make-shift split around Sark's wrist.

When it was all over, a strained silence fell over the small gathering. Finally, the doctor sighed as he zipped up his backpack. "We're not going to handcuff you and leave you here again," he said. Sark nodded, glaring up at Sawyer, who was grinning at him as though he knew something that he didn't. "Instead…you'll have a watch. You'll have your own personal space, but if you try to – "

"You don't have to spell it out for me, doctor," Sark said darkly as he attempted to stand. Not an easy task. He wobbled so badly he nearly fell, and then regained his feet at the last moment, grimacing as his body protested quite stubbornly.

**Jack gave Sayid and Sawyer disapproving looks. He knew that Sark deserved it, but that didn't make him feel any better about seeing the young man trying to stand, after being beaten so horribly.**

"**Come on, Sark."**

* * *

**Sark lied on the beach, wincing as the pain-killing medicine began to fade.**

He looked over his shoulder and saw Jack sitting a while up the beach, staring off into the ocean. Then he realized with a start that someone was sitting almost right next to him. The woman must have noticed he was staring at her, for she turned and smiled.

"Don't mind me," she said vaguely. Sark found it odd that she was not avoiding him like everyone else did.

"Who are you?" he asked, noticing that she was spinning a ring on her necklace over and over again around her fingers.

"The name's Rose," she replied, and then frowned. "What happened to you?"

"Like you don't know."

"As a matter of fact, I don't. I never leave the beach."

Now Sark was interested in spite of himself.

"Why?"

**"Oh, I'm just waiting, really…"**

"**Waiting? For…?"**

"**My husband," Rose answered, pausing in her ring spinning. "He was in the back of the plane…"**

"**If he hasn't come by now…" Sark started coldly, but couldn't quite bring himself to be horrible to this woman for some reason. **

"**He's probably thinking the same thing," Rose said softly. "But I can feel that he's alive."**

**Sark was silent.**

"**You seem troubled," she continued. "Are you all right?"**

**Sark considered this. For the first time since Lauren had been killed, someone was actually being genuinely kind to him. "I…I'm not sure," he admitted cautiously. **

**Rose smiled softly. "I don't think any of us are."**

* * *

**Charlie lied awake in the cave, thinking. Claire had gone to sleep after nursing Aaron, and almost everyone else was down at the caves. Or asleep, as Charlie wished he could be. But Charlie had always had trouble sleeping…and lying on a bunch of rocks for the fifty-somethingethed day in a row was not helping this. But, as long as he were awake, and it was quiet, he figured he could think.**

**_I could tell her. I should tell her. She didn't freak out last time, _Charlie thought, remembering the last moment he'd had with Claire before they were kidnapped. **

**_You prat, _he countered himself. _She was in labor. She didn't have time to worry about you being a sodding druggie. _**

Charlie put his hands behind his head, closing his eyes. A breeze swept through the jungle, rustling the leaves. For a second he could have sworn he heard faint whisperings, and then orderly thought faded from his mind and he slipped into an uneasy sleep.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER

* * *

Lils: I am quivering with excitement right now! This story is so FUN! Please review! If you do you will earn respect, and lemme tell you, that doesn't come by easy these days! (lol) But seriously, please review! We could use your comments, advice, and motivation. 

**Jaye: That and it makes us feel special… So pleeeease review! And Lils is right: this story is SOOO fun to write, and we just love making you readers jump…or throw something at the computer because we leave you off like we did last chapter. (Fwa) See y'all later! URG, you—all! Two words, Jaye, you are not a redneck yet! (smacks herself and grumbles) Only about two months till LOST comes back…YAY!**

Lils: ((snickers)) Not a redneck……yet. ((screams as Jaye is no doubt about to apparate inside my house and strangle me for that))


	7. Chapter 7

Lils: OY WELCOME TO CHAPTER SEVEN! Now to reply to reviews! Oh wait…first: OMG SO SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG! Jaye and I started school and I've been so busy I just couldn't find time!

Luthien and Tari Oronar: IT WAS ALL JAYE! SHE KILLED HER! And I thought it would be sweet to bring Rose in…anyway, thanks for reviewing!

Charlielover28: Uh…I guess that was a mistake. OOPS! And about Charlie…uh…maybe something good will happen to him…sometime…

Lil Aussie Alias Chick: No comment. ((lol)) Thanks for the review!

Irionelissa: Glad things are clearing up…hope you like this chapter!

Dandadn2300: Hmm. Hope you didn't damage the computer when you threw something at it. And once again, I am happy to announce that it was ALL JAYE'S FAULT. I even went, "WHAT?" when she sent me the paragraph.

Jaye: Really? You'd strangle me? Maybe I should get Gunner to crap himself while you're "watching him" and then get you grounded! HA! What a genius dog! (oh crap, you're probably gonna strangle me for that one, too)

* * *

**Chapter Seven:  
****Shocking Events**

**"So…Charlie," Claire said the next morning. "If you could uninvent something, what would it be?"**

**Charlie paused and thought for a second. "Er… Hitler's mum, broccoli, guns…"** (A/N – Lils: ((lol)) Hitler's mum…)

**He hesitated and took a deep breath. "…And drugs. Especially heroin."**

**Claire tilted her head and studied his expression, which he unsuccessfully tried to keep blank.**

**"I get the broccoli, guns…and Hitler's mum," she said with a slight laugh at the last part. "Obviously those have an effect on everyone…but what about the heroin? Did you know someone who was addicted?"**

**Charlie closed his eyes, praying to God that she would understand. "Yeah. My brother…and myself."**

Claire's mouth fell open a bit, but her eyes told the true story. They were terrified, shocked…and worst of all, Charlie realized, betrayed. For a moment she went sheet white, and then, gradually, she turned pink. Tears spilled down her cheeks.

"You…I…You didn't tell me this until _now_?"

"Claire…calm down…" Charlie's mind whirled. He tried to grab her hands, but she pulled away as though his touch had burned her.

"Don't talk to me! I can't _believe_ you would keep something like that from me! You know, all this time I was being honest with you!" The tears began to fall faster. She stood up and backed away from Charlie.

"But I was being honest!" he protested. "I – I already told you!"

"Oh sure Charlie, tell me _that_. Of course you told me now that I don't remember! Is this a game to you?"

"NO!" Charlie cried. "Claire, this isn't…a…a game to me! It never was, Claire!"

"So heroin's not a game? How long have you been sneaking it behind your back when I wasn't looking?"

She didn't give him time to answer. With a final huff over her shoulder, she stormed off, leaving Charlie sitting on the ground, struck dumb. After a few moments he dropped his head into his hands and let go.

Everything he had done for her. Everything he had wanted. It had all ended because of the stupid stuff.

"That's it. My life is over. Again."

"Again?"

Charlie looked up, suddenly furious, at Kate. She had just walked into the caves, and her eyes were red and puffy. She looked very pale and nervous; something very un-Kateish. "I…I just came to tell you and Claire that the…the funeral's started."

"Sydney's?" Charlie felt strangely detached. He had completely forgotten about Sydney's death between searching all the last day for Carter and then…the outbreak just a fewseconds ago.

**"Yeah," Kate whispered. Charlie stood up, looking so sad that Kate's heart almost broke.**

**"What's wrong?" she asked hoarsely.**

**"I told Claire my darkest secret…I thought that she would understand," he said quietly. "But…she didn't…and now she hates me. She'll never speak to me again, I know it!"**

**Kate gave him a sad look. "Just give her some time, Charlie…I'm sure she'll come back."**

**  
****Charlie shook his head. "No way…no one will ever…she won't come back. Not after what I just…confessed."**

Kate crossed her arms and gave Charlie a sideways glance.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Oh, not you too…" Charlie shuffled his feet nervously. "You know, we really should be getting to that funeral, you know."

Charlie could tell Kate wanted to say more, but before she could open her mouth, he had scampered off, feeling even more like a coward, and more and more miserable with every step toward the beach…more and more sorry for himself, and then, just a bit angry.

He had finally spilled his heart out to Claire, the only one he had ever really cared for, and just to find out she couldn't handle the truth.

"I mean, it's not like I actually _do_ it anymore…" he muttered under his breath, kicking a root that stuck out of the ground, and grinding his teeth against the pain that was sent up his leg.

If Claire couldn't understand him, no one could.

As Charlie walked along, his anger faded into hopelessness. He stopped in mid-stride, as though he had just walked into an invisible barrier of some kind, and dropped his chin down on his chest. His shoulders shook as he stood there and cried, hating himself for it.

**A loud crash made him jump and whip around. "Arrrrrg…" a young, feminine voice moaned.**

**Charlie peered over his shoulder. Melanie was sitting there, rubbing her head. **

"**What happened? Are you okay?" he asked, hurriedly brushing away his tears.**

"**Ugh. I just fell. I was looking for Carter again."**

**Charlie's eyes widened. _We'll go look first thing in the morning…I promise. _"Oh, no, I forgot—I'm sorry!"**

"**It's no problem," Mel said, standing up and brushing the dirt off of her jeans. "You had a lot on your mind… With Sydney dying and all…" She paused and looked into his red-rimmed eyes. "Hey…what's wrong?"**

**Charlie shook his head. "N-nothing. I'm fine."**

"**Is it about Claire?" Mel asked with a knowing look.**

**Charlie gave her a look that was somewhere between "Uh, yeah" and "were you listening!"**

"**Yeah then," Mel said. "I saw her run out of the caves…I heard her talking really, really loud—I couldn't make out the words, but, um, yeah. She looked…pretty much like you do now. What happened?"**

"**You're a smart kid," Charlie said, now shaking his head in pure disbelief. **

**Mel looked at him expectantly. **

**Charlie sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I told her something that I thought she could handle…and she couldn't. I mean, I had told her before we were…kidnapped and she lost her memory, and I told her that and she didn't believe me."**

"**Oh," Melanie nodded. "Well…do you want me to talk to her?"**

"**I would prefer than you didn't…well, about this anyway," Charlie replied.**

"**Okay," Melanie reached up and untied her necklace—a leather cord that had a black guitar pic hanging from it. She handed it to him. "You need this more than I do…it's lucky."**

**Charlie gaped at the pic. "Is that…?"**

**Mel smiled. "Yeah. You dropped it…I was in the front row at the one concert where Liam sang the chorus to You All Ev'rybody—which made me SO mad because that's YOUR part, NOT his—and when y'all left the stage, the pic fell…some other girl picked it up."**

**Charlie looked at her in confusion. "Then how do you have it?"**

**Melanie smirked. "I beat her down!" she laughed. **

Charlie gave her a look of pure admiration and surprise. In this time of obscurity, she always seemed to understand. Now he felt even guiltier for not being more enthusiastic the other day about Carter. He realized then that Melanie was a good kid, and he smiled.

"We should get going," he said. "We can't miss the funeral. It's really important to Kate, you know. And then, I promise I'll go with you to find Carter."

"But what about Claire? We have to find her," Melanie protested.

Charlie was taken aback. "You mean you would rather help me find Claire than find Carter?"

"It's not that I would rather do anything more than the other…it's just…I feel like Claire needs help now. Carter's strong." Tears came to her eyes as she said these last few words.

"You know," said Charlie softly. "You're not too bad."

"Neither are you," she said, and together they made their way to the beach.

* * *

Kate looked out over the group that had gathered around her…and the six-foot hole that had been dug in the ground. Jack stood next to her, his eyes distant. Next to him on the other side was Ana Lucia – she was pale, but looked determined to stay strong. Then there was Hurley, Michael, and Walter. Jin and Sun stood together, while Sayid, Shannon, and Boone made an awkward group of three. Vaughn stood alone staring down into the empty hole, while Charlie had his hand on Melanie's shoulder. Kate tilted her head as she saw the battered form of Sark standing next to Rose, and as usual, Sawyer was being Sawyer, facing the other way. Locke was barely visible among a gaggle of other survivors, but Kate decided she wouldn't worry about him.

**Steve and Greg brought Sydney's body towards the grave. Vaughn turned toward them as they laid her body onto the soft sand. He stepped forward and kneeled by her side as Steve and Greg melted into the crowd of onlookers. He picked up her limp wrist and held it for a moment.**

**He suddenly dropped her hand and fell backward, eyes wide. "She's alive!" he cried. "THERE'S A PULSE!"** (A/N: - Lils: FWA! GO AHEAD, JUMP FOR JOY, EVERYONE!)

* * *

**Claire sat in the middle of the jungle, scribbling in her diary. _Dear Diary, this has been the worst day of my life. I thought Charlie was different than anyone that I've ever met…well, he is, he's worse. He's a junkie—he told me today, and then tried to pass it off as a "oh, I told you before you lost your memory". I couldn't believe him. I thought…but I was stupid. I'm going to be a nun, I swear, because I see no good relationships…in my past or in my future. Besides…Libras aren't compatible with Sagittariuses. I'm pretty sure that Charlie said his birthday is December 8th. He's compatible with a Gemini. Though right now I wouldn't exactly dump him on Kate. She has enough on her plate. Love, Claire. _**

Feeling oddly satisfied she closed the small book with more force than was needed, and crossed her arms tightly around her. _Charlie, how could you do this to me?_ She felt tears coming, but she wiped them stubbornly away. There was no use in crying over him anymore. This had been major disappointment number two…

Nearby, she heard a rustling. Her heart jumped, her mind flying instantly to Sydney and the Fake Agents. Claire screamed and scrambled to her feet, ready to run if needed. The rustling grew louder, closer…

* * *

**Carter was now very close to the tower. He couldn't see the top of it anymore, he was that close. He scrambled up the rocks, making a lot of noise he could admit, until he came to the ladder at the bottom of the tower. He craned his neck up to see how far it went—a good one or two hundred feet. He shrugged off his backpack and started climbing.**

**One hand over the other. One foot over the other. One hand over the other.**

**After what seemed like hours, Carter finally dragged himself into the radio tower itself. "Ag, air conditioning!" he yelped. He took several deep breaths, taking advantage of his time in the cool, refreshing air. Then he looked around, and saw the radio. **

**He stood up and rushed towards it. He picked up the handset and pressed down the button. "Mayday, mayday, is anyone there?"**

**Static. Carter's heart sunk. But then—**

**"We copy. Who is this?"**

**"I'm a survivor of Oceanic 815!" Carter said, trying to keep his voice steady. "We crashed almost two months ago, and—"**

**"EY! What'choo think yer doin' son?" The gruff voice made Carter jump, almost dropping the radio. He spun around to see a man with a bushy gray beard and a knit cap on his head. **

**"I was using the radio! Trying to get off of this (heck) hole!" Carter said angrily. **

**"Well what if this is my tower?" the man said in a dangerously low voice. "And what if I don't like any trespassers?"**

**Carter felt a pang of worry go through his being. "I don't understand…"**

**"There's a lot thang's you ain't goin' ta understand," the man sneered. "Like why I ain't about to just let ya scramble back to yer friends and get them all up here."**

**Carter started to back away, one step at a time. Who was this man? What was he going to do?**

**"Nighty night," the man leered. He pulled out a gun. Carter's eyes widened. BANG. Carter hit the ground. **

* * *

**"Charlie…did you hear that?" Melanie asked, looking nervous. **

**"I heard a gun," Charlie answered, looking around for the source of the sound. "Is that what you heard?"**

**"Yeah…that's…that's what I head," Melanie replied. "Do you think that the…_other _agents got Claire or Carter?"**

**"No…" Charlie said, shaking his head. "I don't…I don't think they did."**

**But Melanie could tell that he was getting a little more than nervous as well. "Maybe…maybe we should turn back," Melanie suggested quietly.**

**"If you want to, you can," Charlie said, shaking his head again. "But I'm going to keep looking."**

**Melanie smiled. "I don't want to. But, I thought, if _you're _scared, then we can go back," she teased.**

**"OY! I'm not scared!" Charlie protested.**

**"Sure you're not," Melanie snickered. "But c'mon let's keep lookin'."**

* * *

Vaughn's head felt as though it had detached itself from his shoulders, and was now spinning somewhere in space. He felt dizzy; so many things had happened in the past few days. First with the plane crash, then with Sydney dying…and now she was alive. Shock, sorrow, and overwhelming joy engulfed him, and the only way he could make it stop was to look at her.

Sydney's face was the very depiction of calm, and in a way, looking at it made Vaughn feel calm, too. There was some color in her cheeks again – some sign of life that kept him going as he, and Jack, and Michael, and Kate ran Sydney back to the caves on a makeshift stretcher.

By the time the sound of falling water reached their ears, they were exhausted, but knew they couldn't stop there. Jack turned and looked at the stunned crowd that had followed them from the beach – from the would-be burial sight – if Sydney had actually been dead like he had said.

"Hey! Back! Everybody move back!"

Kate turned as well and stared into the confused faces of the other survivors. "L-listen to Jack!" she managed to shout, her own voice hoarse and barely heard above the bemused murmur of the gathering.

"Get outta the way!"

Vaughn looked up from Sydney to see the rough southern man, Sawyer, pushing his way through the crowd.

"Anybody mind tellin' me what the (heck) is goin' on here?"

"I believe Mr. Sawyer is right."

Heads turned. There stood Sark, just as outspoken and strangely arrogant as ever, despite the fact that he could barely walk. "We all have a right to know why we nearly buried a – "

"Shut your mouth, son," snapped Sawyer. "The grown-ups are talking."

"Sawyer…" Kate sighed.

"We don't have time for this!" Jack said irritably. "We've got to get her water…I've got to run a response analysis…"

"Now you've lost me, doc," said Sawyer, his voice dark.

"Look." Jack's face was flushed, and he was sweating badly, obviously he was in no mood to deal with any more questions. "I'm in no mood to deal with any more questions. I need time to work on the patient…"

"Jack," Vaughn whispered. "It's okay."

At this, Jack seemed to relax a bit, and slipped into his high-speed-doctor-mode.

**"She's lost a lot of blood," Jack said, shaking his head. "We need to find someone that has the same blood type as her, so that we can get more into her. Do you know her blood type, Vaughn?"**

**Vaughn thought for a moment. "A positive."**

**"Does anyone have an A positive blood type?" Jack asked loudly to the crowd. **

**The chattering stopped. Boone pushed through. "I do. What do you need me to do?"**

* * *

**Charlie and Melanie were still walking through the jungle. Charlie had grabbed a long branch and was now proceeding to poke the stick into the dirt randomly. Melanie was walking backwards, watching him with a raised eyebrow. "WHAT are you doing?" she finally asked.**

**Charlie shrugged. "Marking our path, I guess. I'm not Locke—and seeing as he didn't show up, we won't be able to get back to camp if we don't have a…visible, really bloody clear trail to follow."**

**Melanie nodded, finally getting it. "Ohhh… Good idea!"**

**"I know."**

**"Well, don't get too smug," Melanie said, laughing and shaking her head.**

**"You think you should be walking backwards in a jungle like this one?" Charlie asked.**

**"Why not?"**

**"I don't know," Charlie said sarcastically. "Between the polar bears, the insane gunmen, the French chick, and the 'others'—oh, and the bleeding monster, whatever it is—something tells me that you shouldn't be doing that."**

**"Polar bears?" Melanie asked, shaking her head. "Are you kidding?"**

**Charlie's eyes widened, and he grinned, positively joyful at the thought of telling the story. "No! I'm serious! There were polar bears—two of 'em at least!"**

**"Did you see any penguins carrying sporks around?" Melanie teased.**

**Charlie's face became serious. "No. But I did see a badger with a spoon. But I think that might've been the withdrawal talking."**

**As soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to slap himself. _SODDING IDIOT! _He screamed in his head.**

**"Withdrawal?" Melanie asked. "Like, drug withdrawal?"**

**Charlie hung his head. "Yeah."**

**"That what you told Claire this morning?"**

**"Yeah."**

**"Well, she's an idiot then," Melanie said. Charlie could tell from the tone in her voice that she wasn't smiling anymore. He looked up.**

**"What do you mean?"**

**Melanie closed her eyes. "Your hands aren't shaking. You look perfectly healthy…other than your scars, of course. You aren't jumpy—really jumpy anyway. It's pretty obvious that you aren't using anymore."**

**Charlie stared at her, surprised and speechless. After a moment of stammering, he finally choked out, "How did you—"**

**"My brother was a user," Melanie said, a sad look coming across her face. "He died. He got high and drove his car off a bridge. I knew all of the symptoms, because I went to get his jacket to wear to a concert, and these little baggies fell out. I talked to him about it at the concert…and that night he killed himself with the car and all."**

**Charlie stopped, staring at her in shock. "I—I'm sorry… I shouldn't've brought that up…"**

**"It happened when I was ten," Melanie said, shaking her head and brushing away tears. She was still walking backwards. "He was seventeen… I'm fine."**

Charlie gazed at Melanie with new eyes.

"It's not your fault," he stated.

Melanie said, "Huh?"

"You didn't cause your brother to die. And it's not your fault that Carter is, uh, missing."

"I know."

"You do?"

"Sure." Melanie shrugged, and turned around. "But when I see him again, I am going to hit him _so hard_ for scaring me!"

Charlie laughed, finding new inspiration in this girl's hope and spirit. "And you can't blame yourself either," she said.

"For what?" Charlie had stopped laughing. They were marching again.

"For Claire. She'll be back, you know."

"Yeah…I hope so."

After that, they talked about good things. Happy things. Far away from the topics of drugs and uncertainty. At that moment, they knew they were going to find Carter and they knew everything was okay. They talked about Sydney and how Jack would save her, and how they would be getting home soon.

* * *

Across the island, the crowds had slowly filtered out of the caves. After all, Sydney was just lying there, breathing slowly, Vaughn at her side. Not much to see, anymore. They all went off to find something better to do.

Except for Sayid. He sat staring at the gun case, concentration etched in every line of his dark face.

_I think_, he thought, _it is about time to take control again._

* * *

END OF CHAPTER

* * *

Lils: WHOOO! Sorry…I'm just so excited! The next chapter is going to be action-packed, lemme tell ya! BUT YOU MUST REVIEW!

**Jaye: Well, people, here we are, at the end of chapter seven! I feel so special! Well…since Lils got to have a conversation with Marshall, I want one with Charlie! Hey, Charlie, how ya doin'?**

**Charlie: Erm. Where are we?**

**Jaye: ON MY COMPUTER!**

**Charlie: ((blinks))**

**Jaye: OMG YOU ARE SO ADORABLE! ((clings to Charlie and squeals))**

**Melanie and Claire and many other Dom/Charlie/Merry fangirls: ((growl and pull out knives…pointy knives…knives that burn with the flames of a thousand evils!))**

**Charlie: ((terrified look))**

**Jaye: Teehee. **

Lils: Eh…oy Jaye, oy Charlie…oy fangirls. You know what? You can't kill Jaye just yet because she has to help with the next chapter! ((earns murderous glares from fangirls)) Anyway…like I said…review!


	8. Chapter 8

Lils: This is the moment you've all been waiting for, for the past few days! CHAPTER EIGHT IS HERE! Now to reply to the reviews…

Lil Aussie Alias Chick: Thank you! AND YES SHE IS ALIVE!

DanDan2300: What's happening to Carter? Is that what you said? Hmmm…((evil cackle)) anyway, thanks for your awesome review! You are so nice…Jaye and I thank you! And yes, school is quite bothersome, especially now that we're in year 8…lots of homework! Hope you like this next chapter!

Luthien and Tari Oronar: Erm, precious-poo? Some people are so obsessed…meaning Jaye especially ((Ducks b/c Jaye is no doubt about to hit me)) and yes, we know it's weird…we are purposely trying to confuse you all! Liked the part when you said Claire needed to get her head out of the Zodiacs…mind if we quote you?

Sirius Black: Why thank you, Sirius. And I'll do my best to keep Jaye alive, but she is an idiot when it comes to provoking those fan girls. Thanks for reviewing!

Lils: Now on with the chapter!

Chapter eight: Assault

The next morning, Sayid called a meeting in the caves. Jack, Sawyer, Kate, Vaughn, and Michael were all invited. The atmosphere was tense. Sayid kicked the gun case out in front of him, scanning the faces of the survivors that had gathered. Then he began:

"We must act soon. In only a matter of days things have gone out of control. We have been confronted with new dangers, kidnappings, sadistic interrogations, and violent injuries." He paused, letting his opening statements sink in. "At this very moment, we have an agent in a coma, and four of our own are missing. Charlie, Claire, Melanie, and Carter. We have a monster on the loose, and as I am told, two more vicious attackers in the jungle around us. _Now we must do something._ We cannot let anymore of the innocent people here die." He gestured at the gun case underneath his feet. "We have the supplies. I purpose that we arrange an assault."

"An assault?" Kate asked, disbelieving. "And when did Claire, Charlie, and Melanie go missing?"

"Yesterday," Sayid answered. "Claire was not at the funeral, and Charlie left with Melanie straight after…no one has seen them since."

Kate shook her head miserably. "We have to go look for them."

"**Locke is looking, along with Boone," Sayid said, shaking his head. "We can spare no more…not with these 'agents' on the loose."**

**Kate closed her eyes for a moment, but nodded. "All right. What's your plan?"**

**

* * *

**

**Charlie lied with his back to a tree, snoring. Melanie was pacing back in forth, biting her Sharpied-over nails nervously. _What if we don't find him? _She thought. _What if he's dead? What if he can't find his way back? Oh, Carter, why did you have to leave?_**

**Tears rolled down her cheeks, but she forced herself to be quiet so she wouldn't wake Charlie. She finally sunk to her knees and let out a sob. "God, please, I'll do anything if you'll bring him back!" she cried softly. "Please don't let him be hurt! I'd die without him—I need him God! Don't let Carter die, please, I'm begging you!"**

**She put her hands over her face and sobbed openly. After several minutes, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked over to see Charlie kneeling there without a determined look. "We'll find him," he said firmly. "I promise you—we will find him. Don't worry…I'm sure that he's fine. Both of them are fine."**

**"Charlie, how can you say that?" she asked hollowly. "There are murderers on the loose in the jungle—ruthless killers, pretending to be the two agents' friends. What if they aren't okay? What if they're both dead?"**

**Charlie shook his head. "Do you think Carter's dead?"**

**Melanie paused, and the two just looked each other in the eyes for a moment. Melanie gave him a weak, watery smile. "N-no…I don't think he is."**

"**Well, I don't think Claire's dead either," Charlie nodded. "So…let's hold on to that, okay? Maybe…maybe if we just…convince ourselves that they're okay…then they will be."**

"**Yeah…yeah, you're right. Thanks…"**

"**Anytime."**

**

* * *

**

"So…do you really…really think – being just the two of us against the jungle – we'll actually find somebody?" Boone asked. He paused and wiped the sweat from his brow, squinting in the sunlight that poured through the trees and onto his face. "John?"

A few yards ahead, John Locke stopped and put his hands on his hips.

"Well when you think about it that way, no," he replied.

Boone couldn't help but laugh. "What? There's other ways to think of it?"

Locke didn't answer this time. They began to walk again, but Boone wasn't ready to give up the conversation yet. "So…what? Are we supposed to work with the jungle or something? Because I'll tell you what – right now, this jungle doesn't seem too helpful to me. What with those two…agents lurking around in here…the monster…makes you kind of jumpy, doesn't it? Locke?"

"When you think about it that way…" Locke turned around. He was grinning.

"Never mind! Don't tell me," Boone sighed.

Just then the two men heard a rustling sound not far off. They both ducked down in time to avoid being seen by the man and woman that came crashing through the underbrush.

**"Where could they have gone?" the man asked angrily.**

"**How should I know?" the woman retorted. "But Bristow's dead—as soon as we get Vaughn and Austen, we can leave this hellhole." **

"**Yeah, yeah, yeah, I guess. But what about the others? The other castaways—the one's that were on the plane with Austen. Won't they tell their rescuers what happened?"**

"**You idiot—the cloaking device we're using on this island will make sure that every single one of them will be here until they die. That was the point of the Artium device in the plane wasn't it? That made the plane crash here."**

**Boone's blood ran cold._ They made us crash? How… _**

"**Oh, and that pretty little blonde girl—the real prissy one? I think we should get her…they'd be better off without that at-ti-tude on this place, right?" the woman said. **

**Boone, knowing that the horrible woman was talking about his sister, jumped up angrily. **

"Boone!" Locke grabbed his ankles, but it was too late. The damage had already been done. The two agents turned, raising guns to their faces. They advanced quickly, giving Locke and Boone no time to run.

"Get up!" the man barked.

"You talking about Shannon?" Boone said, breathing hard as he looked up into the barrel of the revolver over his head. "Well you can forget it you son of a bit – "

_BANG!_

Boone's head snapped back.

Locke knew he was dead, and scrambled to his feet, one hand laid casually at his side, feeling for his hunting knife. He decided to keep these people talking, but not to try their tempers.

"You said something about a – ah – device?"

**

* * *

**

**Claire woke suddenly, and looked around groggily. _Where am I? _She wondered as she took in the bare cave walls that were unfamiliar, the ropes around her ankles and wrists.**

**She saw someone lying on the ground. With a shock of surprise, she realized that it was Carter…and he was bleeding freely from a hole in his chest. Her eyes widened, and she tried to scream…before noticing that she was gagged. Her eyes watered, and for some reason, all of it seemed so, so familiar. **

"**Hello Claire. Nice to see you again." **

Claire slowly raised her head from Carter to a tall, dark haired man with several wounds on his chest. Even though her scream was muffled, it was loud enough to echo through the caves…

**And loud enough to make Ethan Rom sneer at her and say, "Charlie won't be saving you this time."**

**

* * *

**

(A/N – Lils: Just to let you know…HERE COMES THE FUN PART!)

**Charlie and Melanie were STILL walking. Charlie was really tired, but tried not to let his head nod too much—he had to find Claire and Carter. He had to. The young girl beside her had been through enough…she didn't deserve to lose her best friend as well. He closed his eyes briefly, which ended up being a mistake. **

"**ARG!" he shouted. Melanie whipped around to see him hanging from a hole in the ground, which had apparently been covered with leaves and mud. The pit looked to be at least thirty feet deep…enough to kill Charlie if he fell.**

Melanie grabbed his hand, but she knew that she couldn't pull him out—she wasn't strong enough. "SOMEBODY HELP!" she screamed desperately.

Charlie panicked, looking down at the empty space beneath his swinging feet. He closed his eyes and gasped, "Melanie…don't let go."

"I wont!" Melanie cried, and turned and screamed for help again. Charlie didn't stop her, although he knew it was pointless. They were in the middle of nowhere, far off from the caves and the beach. No one would hear her…and he could feel his fingers begin to slip. Gradually at first, but then faster and faster until his feeling of desperation and panic drove him to start screaming as well.

"HELP! HELP! ANYBODY!"

"Charlie…you're slipping!" Melanie grunted. "I – I can't hold on much longer!"

Melanie's arms felt like they had hot curling irons pressed to them, and she was amazed her shoulders hadn't popped from their sockets yet. She bit her lip and whispered a sorry before digging her nails into Charlie's hand. Anything to keep him from falling…but she could feel her strength slowly giving way.

"Mel! Mel, it's…okay!" Charlie cried from below her.

"_What?_ Are you crazy?" she shouted back, her fingers slipping yet another centimeter or so. "I'm not letting you go, Charlie!"

"Mel, you have to! Find Claire and Carter! Tell Claire I'm – "

"Charlie, SHUT UP!" Melanie snapped. She just hated it when people started to talk like that. "I'm not gonna drop you! And you can talk to Claire once we get you out of this hole!"

Charlie looked up at her, his eyes amazed, but unconvinced. And Melanie knew it, too.

And then, suddenly, she felt someone grab her ankles.

"Hey!" she yelped, twisting her neck around. Then she screamed, "_GET AWAY FROM ME!" _

Sark recoiled as she kicked at him, slipping further down into the hole after Charlie, but he didn't go away. He stared at her for a second, and then ran up to the edge of the pit.

"Melanie, what's going – YOU! MELANIE, RUN!"

"Give me your hand," said Sark. Charlie looked at him.

"_No_!" Charlie looked at him like he was crazy.

"Fine."

Sark leveled himself out so that his entire torso was hanging over the edge. With the arm that was not in a sling he reached down and grabbed the back of Charlie's shirt. Then he turned to Melanie, whose eyes were as big as her open mouth at the moment. "Pull."

For someone who was so small and – not to mention – beat up, he was strong. Melanie felt almost all of Charlie's weight leave her, and to her amazement, he began to rise from the pit. She gripped his hand once more and heaved him over the final stretch, back onto the grass.

Charlie flopped over onto his back, too astonished to speak. Melanie, however, extended her fingers and rolled her shoulders, staring at Sark, who was sitting with his good arm stretched out behind him, legs crossed.

"Why did you do that?" she snapped, breathing hard.

"Oh," he panted, and shook his head.

"Don't tell me you don't know."

"**You—you—you—"**

"**Yes, ME you buffoon," Sark snapped.**

"**DON'T CALL HIM THAT."**

**Sark stared at Melanie for a moment before shaking his head and standing up, brushing himself off. "I do believe an apology is in order," he said quietly.**

"**I'm not apologizing to you—" Charlie started angrily.**

"**Not you. Or her." Sark looked away as Melanie and Charlie gaped at him. _Was he actually saying sorry?_ Melanie finally snapped out of her trance.**

"**Charlie, you okay?"**

"**Y-yeah, fine…" Charlie paused. "'Don't tell me you don't know' what?"**

"Well…he wouldn't just…just save you out of nowhere!" Melanie protested, staring at Sark's back. "He must have had a reason!"

"Maybe Sawyer managed to beat some sense into him," Charlie muttered, and Julian spun around, cold fury shining in his eyes.

"I could have let you fall into that hole, and bring that little girl down with you," he hissed. "You weren't going to let go, and you know that. She would have been falling along with you too – anything to save yourself."

Charlie jumped up, stomped furiously up to Sark, and hit him. Melanie screamed, her hands by her eyes.

"Don't try to turn me into the bad guy!" Charlie screamed at Sark, who was curled on the ground, gasping. "I would have let go. I would never pull her down! I'm not like you!"

"CHARLIE! STOP IT!" Melanie had burst into tears. "Stop…"

Charlie gave Sark one last glare before heading over to Melanie, trying to comfort her. Sark looked after him, feeling a burning where Charlie had hit him in the chin. Of course there was already a bruise there, which only made it hurt worse. But he was getting used to getting beaten, and he was soon over it. He put his hands on the grass and pulled himself up to a sitting position, watching. He couldn't help but feel a stab of desolation in his heart – after all, he _had_ just apologized, and look where it had gotten him.

"Mel, Mel, it's okay…" Charlie whispered, his arm around her shaking shoulders. "It's o – hey! Listen!"

He crawled toward the edge of the pit he had nearly disappeared into just minutes before. Melanie followed him, wiping her eyes.

"What?"

"I can hear something! Voices…"

"…**This time Charlie won't be around to save you," a cold voice echoed. **

**Charlie's blood ran cold. "No! How is he back? He's dead!"**

"**Charlie, what're you—"**

"**Ethan!" Charlie gasped. "He got shot, six times in the chest—kidnapped me and Claire, hurt her, made her lose her baby, and hung me from a tree!"**

"**CHARLIE!" Claire's voice echoed, screaming in pain. "CHARLIE, HELP ME!"**

"**I will, Claire—I will!" Charlie said in a determined voice. **

* * *

"**Locke—what happened?" Jack asked, seeing the older man's expression. **

"**Where's Boone?" Shannon took the words from Jack's mouth, looking suspicious. **

"**Boone…the agents…"**

"**What?" Shannon questioned hollowly.**

"**Shannon, your brother died bravely."**

* * *

**Shannon sat, boring a hole into the waves, eyes red and puffy, but she was no longer crying. **

She dug her fingernails into the sand, as if by squeezing it, she could make everything go away. On the outside she was reserved, but in the inside she was screaming.

_HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN TO ME? TO BOONE? HOW COULD HE LEAVE ME HERE LIKE THIS? I HATE THIS PLACE! I HATE THIS PLACE! I _HATE_ THIS PLACE!_

She burst into tears again, burring her head in her knees.

"Shannon?"

Shannon turned around and looked up at the Vaughn-guy. She sniffed hard.

"What?"

She couldn't remember the last time she had seen him out and about, away from the caves where his girlfriend Sydney was, sleeping in her coma. In fact, he looked as though he hadn't eaten since she had been brought back from her would-be burial site. The grave was still there…she remembered. Empty. With the little marker still stuck in the ground next to it. _Why am I remembering that?_

"I just heard about your brother," he said gently.

"Yeah?" Shannon wanted him to go away. "Look. Everyone else has already tried to make me feel better. They told me he died bravely, that I shouldn't be sad for him…well it didn't work. And your preaching won't help, either."

"I wasn't going to preach to you," said Vaughn. There was suddenly something in his eyes. "I was just going to ask you if you liked revenge."

**Shannon bit her lip and tilted her chin, indicating for him to keep talking.**

* * *

"**How can we get to her?" Charlie boldly asked Sark.**

**Sark gave him his trademark bored look. "Well, Mr. Pace, falling into more holes will not help, so I suggest you watch your step."**

**Melanie could hear the threat in that, and she was sure that Charlie could as well, from the murderous yet scared look on his face. **

"**Just help me find her," he growled.**

"Oh? And when did you start giving me orders?"

"Just now."

For a moment, Charlie and Sark just stared at each other, while Melanie sat back, trembling, waiting for something to happen, and hoping that it wouldn't be anything bad.

Then, suddenly, the tension was shattered by a scream from within the pit. The voice was said and broken, calling for help.

"That's Claire," whispered Charlie, still looking at Sark. They kept eye contact for a few more long seconds before Julian abruptly stood up. Melanie tensed, waiting. Charlie did the same. He was suddenly aware of how close he was to the edge of the hole.

"It's a cave system," said Sark at last, "so there must be more than one way in. My guess would be several miles across the island, where the land slopes down. From the sound coming from that hole, there is water near by. Perhaps a coast or a beach not unlike the one we have left."

"Makes sense," Charlie grudgingly agreed even though he had no idea what Sark was talking about. "But why so far?"

"The land here is no doubt very high above sea-level, and the cave is either below sea-level or very close. The lower we get, the closer the cave and the less dangerous the entrances will be. But I suspect we have to hurry."

"Why?"

"Because it is nearly high-tide. The cave will no doubt be flooded when the tide comes in."

Horrified, Charlie jumped up.

"You're right!" he gasped, and leaned over the hole. "CLAIRE! CL- "

Sark reached out and grabbed Charlie's shoulders.

"Don't yell, idiot!" he hissed, but in his current condition was not able to hold Charlie back. He escaped roughly, diving for the hole yet again.

"CLAIRE! I'M COMING FOR YOU! IT'S CHARLIE! I'M COMING!"

"Charlie! No!" Melanie cried. "Whoever did this to her will know where we are if you yell!"

"It's a little too late for that warning," Sark said darkly.

"Oh, shut up, you," Charlie shot, buffeting him out of the way. "C'mon! We have to leave now! CLAIRE! I'M COMING!"

* * *

Claire stared upward, listening to the shouts above her. **All of her previous anger and hurt towards Charlie vanished as new tears of relief came to her eyes. **

"**CHARLIE! CARTER'S DOWN HERE TOO!" **

"**CARTER!" **

**Another voice—Claire guessed it was Melanie—yelled, forgetting her previous warning against yelling in the pit.**

"**IS HE ALIVE, CLAIRE?"**

"**I…I don't know," Claire said loudly. "He's unconscious!" **

"**Just like you will be if you don't stop talking to them," Ethan growled, coming up from behind her and hitting her over the head with something hard. Claire screamed in agony before she sank back to the ground, out cold.**

* * *

"**CLAIRE!" Charlie wheeled to face Sark once more. "Let's go!"**

But Sark seemed to be impassive for some reason, staring past Charlie at something behind his shoulders. Charlie shivered, feeling a shadow fall over him.

"Charlie!" Melanie's voice was high-pitched and scared.

Charlie spun around and had to look up into the face of a man with a short, gray beard and wild eyes pointing a gun at his head.

"Well, e'lloo!" the man said, his voice low and unfriendly. Charlie took a step back and the man took another forward. They were only about six inches apart. Charlie tried hard not to breathe or move or speak – he couldn't keep his eyes out of the gun's barrel. "What might yee be doing out here in the open? Causin' such a racket, too. Huh? Sommat you wanna say?"

"I…I…uh, n-no…"

The wild man's eyes moved away from him for a moment, obviously turning to glare at either Sark or Melanie. But the gun never left him.

"Tryin' to run, are yeh? Or maybe you'd thought you'd catch old me off guard, eh?"

Charlie felt something audacious creep up inside him, and before he fully understood his own actions, he hit the gun in the man's hands. To his dismay, the gun didn't fall and the wild man roared in anger, raising his other arm to strike Charlie on the shoulder and down to the ground.

"CHARLIE!" Melanie shrieked, dashing forward, partially blinded by her own tears. She reached him and touched his head, sobbing and screaming as the wild man regained his balance. He grabbed for her, lifting her off her feet.

Charlie tried to stagger to his feet, but his head was spinning too fast. All he could hear was Melanie screaming, screaming…and then, amazingly, she fell from the man's arms.

The feral man shouted yet again, falling to his knees, revealing Sark behind him. The gun rolled across the ground and the terrorist leapt for it, picking it up and aiming quickly.

But by then the bearded man had swung himself around, catching both Melanie and Sark in one swiping blow. A shot was fired, but it whizzed recklessly away. The two staggered backward, knocking each other to the ground.

Charlie screamed in anger and jumped up, running at the man and shoving him into the grass once again. Then he dashed for Melanie and Sark, who were both scrambling to their feet as quickly as they could, in hopes to get away from the insane man who had attacked them.

"This way!" Sark ordered, pushing Melanie along. Behind them they heard the howls of the bearded man, and they didn't dare look back for their terror.

"**CHARLIE!" Melanie screeched.**

"**Go, Melanie!" Charlie howled. "I'll be fine! Save yourself!" **

"**Don't be so dramatic!" Melanie shouted, angrily lunging at the crazed looking bearded man. "LET GO OF CHARLIE, YOU JERK!"**

**She was on his shoulders, punching him on the back. Charlie sat there in the dirt for a moment, shared a shocked look with Sark, and then jumped up. Charlie and Sark went to help Melanie out, but she seemed to be handling herself pretty well.**

"**GET ER OFF! GETER OFF!" the bearded man hollered. He swung his arms, and the gun fell out of his hands. Sark grabbed it, briefly took aim, and fired. **

**The bearded man fell to the ground, Melanie with him, screaming as she went. **

**Charlie turned furiously at Sark. "You could have shot her!" **

"**But I didn't."**

"**BUT YOU COULD HAVE!"**

"**Mr. Pace, must I remind you that I am a specially trained agent?" Sark asked, only his eyes showing any emotion. Anger, mostly. **

**The two men glared at each other, and then Charlie walked over to Melanie and pulled her up. He hugged her, and then pulled back, looking her in the eyes with concern. "Are you okay?"**

"**Y-yeah," Melanie shuddered.**

"THAT WAS BLOODY CRAZY! DON'T YOU EVER DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT AGAIN!" he screamed at her, his own panic and fury bursting forth. Immediately he regretted it; the look on the girl's face was too much. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to…I mean – _What are you doing?_"

His question was directed at Sark, who was squatted over the body of the bearded man. He was digging thoughtfully through the man's pockets, pulling out items, and tossing them away in the grass. The replied: "Looking for anything useful." And then he gave Charlie a look as if he was the dumbest people alive. Then he sighed. "There's nothing, really. Only a few rounds that I do not think will fit any of the weapons that the…agents brought aboard."

Something suddenly dawned on Charlie.

"Hey…the…how'd you get out here, anyway? Wasn't someone supposed to be watching you?"

Sark's eyes glinted for a moment with something mischievous, but it vanished so quickly Charlie wasn't even sure he saw it.

"Yes," he replied flatly, his voice deprived of emotion. "But they seem to have, ah, lost their way, to put it frankly."

Charlie's insides bubbled with rage for a minute, and his face must have shown it too. "Oh don't look too put-out, Mr. Pace. Considering the past few events, if it hadn't been for me, you and that girl would both be dead at this very moment."

"I – "

"My name's Melanie…not just _girl_," Melanie whispered. Charlie patted her on the shoulder. She was shaking, trying to avert her eyes from the pool of blood forming around the dead man that had attacked her.

"We can debate about this later, Mr. Pace," said Sark, standing. "But now I believe we had better get moving. As I have said: We don't have much time."

"Why'd you kill him?" Charlie asked quietly, feet rooted to the spot. "He could have helped us! He could have known where to find Claire!"

Sark looked back over his shoulder, hands in his jacket pockets.

"Do you think he would have helped us when he obviously would not have hesitated to murder each of us?"

Charlie went numb, remembering the terror of the gun in his face.

"No…" he admitted.

* * *

"Alright, where is he?" Sawyer shouted, bursting forth onto the beach and marching up to Jack.

"Where's who?" asked Jack tersely, flicking sand off of his shoulders from Sawyer's stomping.

"Don't play games with me!" Sawyer pointed accusingly at the doctor's chest. "You know damn well _who_."

"**No, not really," Jack answered, pushing Sawyer's finger away. "Care to explain?"**

"**SARK!" Sawyer howled. "He's gone! Where'd he go?"**

"**Weren't YOU supposed to be watching him?" **

"**I—you—don't you go pinnin' this on me, doc!" Sawyer sputtered. **

"**Why not?" Kate asked. "It's your fault."**

"**Freckles, stay out of it," Sawyer shot. **

"**Don't tell her what to do, Sawyer," Jack cut in smoothly.**

"**Like you can talk, doc."**

"**What do you mean by that?"**

"Will you all just SHUT UP?"

Shannon stomped furiously up to the group of bickering populace, Sayid, Vaughn, Michael, Jin, Locke, and a handful of other willing survivors on her heels. Sayid, along with Vaughn, were carrying the two rifles that had been stowed in the pack. Sayid looking withdrawn, while Vaughn's face was rigid with emotion.

"Who started up this shindig?" Sawyer commented under is breath, eyeing the rifles and the handgun Shannon had on her hip.

"I thought you said we were going to wait until morning," Jack objected.

"Yes, well, now that one more of the group has gone missing, we decided we were going to start now, before anyone else is lost." Sayid's eyes were impassive and cold.

Jack sighed. "Fine," he said. "But I'm coming."

"No," said Sayid and Vaughn in unison.

"We cannot afford to loose a doctor," said one.

Vaughn stepped forward, his expression more confusing than anything Jack had ever been confronted with. He saw fear, love, and yet…a mask that seemed to dull the colors of the man's emotions, although his words were clear.

"And someone needs to watch over Sydney."

"Alright," Jack gave in, feeling slightly hurt and left out.

"Then it's settled." Sayid nodded his head, inclining it toward Sawyer. "Are you to come along as well? We need you."

"Of course I'm comin', Mohammad!" And then his face grew grim. "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

* * *

**END OF CHAPTER!**

**A/Ns:**

**Jaye: HA! THERE WE GO! (dies laughing) Commando Barbie Shannon! (Hee, hee, hee) Weren't the Charlie-Sark-Mel scenes fun? Can't you just picture the "Give me your hand" "NO!" Heh. That was fun to read, and I bet Lilsers here had fun writing that part…eh, Lils? **

Lils: Most definitely, Jaye! AND NOW WE MUST MOVE ON TO THE NEXT CHAPTER! OH WAIT! YOU HAVE TO REVIEW FIRST!

Readers: ((curse under breath))

Lils: Oh it's not that bad! C'mon! If you review, you get an update! ((glares)) And it's not Lilsers, Black, it's Lils! Or Lily, either one…but not Lilsers.

Now, it is my turn to have our chapterly-conversation! But with whom…let me think for a moment…ah! Sawyer!

Sawyer: WHAT?

Lils: Geez, you don't have to yell all the time, you know. It's not very courteous.

Sawyer: ((blank gaze)) Yeah? So? You wanna do somethin' about it – Blondie? (A/N: - Lils: Okay, in real life my hair is blonde.)

Lils: ((fumes)) HEY! JUST BECAUSE I HAVE BLONDE HAIR DOESN'T GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO INSULT ME ABOUT IT!

Sawyer: I didn't insult you about it Blondie – relax.

Lils: DON'T TELL ME TO RELAX, YOU SOUTHERN IDIOT! I DON'T KNOW WHY I PICKED YOU TO HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH ANYWAY! YOU ALWAYS CAUSE SO MUCH TROUBLE!

Sawyer: ((slowly nods)) Ooookay. I'll just be off then.

Lils: FINE! Leave! Like I care!

Sawyer: Right then. Nice talkin' to yeh.

Lils: ((still fuming)) Errrrrrhh! ((waits in silence as Sawyer has already walked off)) Okay. Is it quiet in here or what? Jaye? Sawyer? ANYBODY?

Hurley: Hey, what's goin' on?

Lils: ((raises eyebrow slowly)) Where did you come from?

Hurley: I really don't know. Hey, you got any…you know…food? Maybe some Twinkies…or…something?

Lils: ((smacks forehead)) Get outta here man.

Hurley: Yeah okay. ((hurriedly walks off))

End of this psychosis. NOW PLEASE REVIEW.

(A/N: - Lils: Ah that is so fun! I love our chapterly tête-à-tête, don't you? And tête-à-tête is a real phrase meaning conversation. Bet you didn't know that, did you?)


	9. Chapter 9

Lils: OMG! SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG! THANKS REVIEWERS! NOW TO THE CHAPTER!

Chapter nine: Facing Fears

"Hang on a second!" Melanie called, bending down. "Shoe's untied."

"We don't have time to dawdle—" 

"**She can tie her bleeding shoe whenever she sodding wants to, Sark, so get used to it."**

**Melanie sighed. She'd liked it much, much better when it was just her and Charlie. But the sweet young man that had left with her that morning had vanished, and Charlie was acting more and more like a sulking teenager that had lost a fight. **

**Melanie wasn't sure what to think about Sark. On one hand, he had hurt, drugged, and traumatized Charlie—on the other, he had saved both of their lives. There was no way for her to decide which Sark was—the hero or the killer.**

"**Don't snap at me, Mr. Pace."**

"**_Don't snap at me, Mr. Pace—_you've got to be kidding me. I'm not listening to you," Charlie snapped.**

"**Be quiet."**

"**Why don't you?"**

"**Why don't you BOTH shut up before you drive me out of my bleeding skull?" Melanie shot, finally snapping under the pressure of listening to the two Brits fight. She straightened up, and met both of the men's startled gazes, one after the other. **

"**You're both acting like kids!" she continued. "Charlie—he saved us, all right? He's the only way we're going to find Claire and Carter. Beat him up later, for their sake, if you have to.**

"**And YOU—" she turned to face Sark. "Stop acting all high and mighty! Just because you're a spy doesn't mean that you're better than us, or smarter, or whatever else you could think of! You aren't better than us—if anything, you're WORSE, rubbing it in our faces like that!**

"**So both of you need to shake hands, apologize, and get over yourselves!" she ended this with a whisper shout, because she'd remembered what happened last time she shouted before she'd yelled it.**

**Sark and Charlie were silent for a moment. Sark turned to face Charlie. "I believe I've already apologized."**

**Charlie gave him a cold look. "Some things can't be forgiven."**

**Melanie threw up her hands in defeat. Tears pushed at her eyes as she looked Charlie in the eyes and said, "You know what? Earlier, if anyone'd asked me who the better person is out of the two of you, I would have said 'Charlie' without a second thought. **

"**But right now, I'm going to have to say Sark is, Charlie. He apologized—he knows that he was wrong," Melanie let her tears fall, let Charlie see her obvious hurt and disappointment. "But, guess what Charlie? You're just as bad as he is. Possibly worse."**

"**I was wrong about you, Charlie," she cried. "And that hurts."**

**She turned and walked back toward the hole, shoulders shaking.**

**Charlie started to go after her, but Sark held out an arm, blocking his path.**

"**Don't. Not yet."**

"Whaddyou – " Charlie began angrily, and then stopped himself, sighing. He bit his lip, and rotated his jaw. He wrinkled his nose and forehead, and then let his expression relax again. Then he coughed a little to clear his throat, rolling his shoulders. By this time he had drawn Melanie's attention, as well as an odd look from Sark.

"You know you look positively absurd," Julian commented, "don't you?"

But Charlie didn't answer. At last, his eyes fixed on Melanie; he took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He remembered Liam. He remembered the withdraw, and he remembered Claire. All the people he had let down. Well it wouldn't be her. He stuck out his hand, arm stiff, and cracked one of his eyes open.

"I – I'm…sorry."

Melanie looked at him with wonder in her eyes. It seemed the world had stopped turning and time was forgotten for moment. Melanie stood up, brushing her knees, and stood beside him. It felt good to have her on his side again.

Sark tilted his head, and for a moment, his expression was blank. And then he extended his own hand and took Charlie's. They shook once, and dropped their hands quickly. Charlie knew his face was beat red, and the blank look on the man opposite him was only more embarrassing. Even Melanie giggled through her tears.

"Thanks," she said softly.

"Don't mention it." Charlie tried to make his humiliation ebb away by resuming authority. "Now let's get down there and find Claire and Carter."

Sark nodded and started to lead the way. But what Charlie found odd was that he didn't speak anymore. If anything, he seemed confused; the first time he had shown some human emotion in a while – the last time was pain and fear when Sawyer had been beating him – but Charlie never imagined he would see confusion of all things in his eyes.

Sark's silence was a little unnerving. It gave Charlie more time to think about the problem. More time to focus on what was really happening to him. Losing Claire for the second time hurt more than anything…and through the silence and time to think, he became more anxious and restless. Melanie seemed to react the same way too, because now instead of being a mediator, she had nothing more to focus on than the loss of her friend. Charlie could see every time he looked down at her how tight her expression was. In time he reached out and took her hand.

They walked for a long time in silence across the open field, but then, quite suddenly, the sound of the ocean came into earshot. A thin line of trees closed in around them, only to die away as grass turned into sharp and treacherous rock, the rock falling away as they went. Soon it felt like they were going down a steep set of stairs, the sound of water hissing and roaring growing stronger all the while…And then, without any symbol or warning, the rock dropped off. Charlie and Melanie joined Sark on the edge of the cliff and stared down in wonder at the churning white foam below.

The cliff was roughly thirty feet away from the water at the point they were currently stationed at. Sharp and deadly rocks rested below them. But to the left the cliff sagged downward, toward a small patch of slippery-looking rock that disappeared into a dark opening in the side of the shear rocks above it. The slippery edge was only a few yards thick before it gave way into the certainly lethal crashing waves and rocks.

"That's the cave?" Charlie said, so softly it came out as a whisper. He was staring at the huge dark crack in the wall.

"Yes," Sark replied, his voice deprived of any recognizable emotion, although his eyes flitted for a moment with dark apprehension.

"That's where Carter is?" Melanie sounded close to tears again. She gripped Charlie's hand harder than ever.

"And that's where we'll go."

**Melanie was shaking. She couldn't stand the thought of Carter, her best friend, who'd been through everything with her, lying beaten in that dark hole in the wall. But she had to. She had to save him…and she would. Even if she died trying.**

**

* * *

**

**Shannon stood, hand on the gun at her waist. She felt like one of those GI Jane dolls that she'd seen years and years ago, when her father and Boone's mother had only been dating. She sniffled at the thought of Boone.** She shifted in the mud, her arms and legs tight and uncomfortable. She had been stalking through the jungle after Sayid and the rest of the group for what felt like hours, and she, like everyone else, was very tired. That is, except for the agent Vaughn guy – he seemed like he could never get tired. Shannon looked at him. His face was always serious. The only time she could remember it being different was when he had come into the caves carrying his agent-girlfriend. He had look different then…and also when he had found out she was alive. Happiness had washed over him, but Shannon knew she would never be happy like that again. Not without Boone. Not without revenge.

Sayid held out his hand and flipped his fingers forward. The signal to move. Sighing, Shannon worked her way up the line to his side.

"We've been walking for hours," she said, teeth clenched.

"It's a big jungle," Sayid replied simply, ducking under a low-hanging vine that she didn't see and hit.

"We should…do something!" she spat.

"Oh?"

"Yeah…like…I don't know…split up or something."

Sayid slowed his pace. "We cannot split up," he said finally and deliberately. "It is too dangerous. Say you were alone – "

"Not alone…" Shannon interrupted. "We'd…we'd go in groups of two or something."

"Fine," continued Sayid, unfazed, "say you split up into groups of two, and you're lucky enough to pick your way through the forest and find these two agents. Well you're even, but they have more experience, and they would have been hiding and heard you coming, giving them the element of surprise. Say your partner was felled in the initial ambush. Then what? You cannot fight off the two agents alone…We will need group power and sheer numbers on this one."

Shannon said nothing and looked at her feet, defeated.

"But…" Sayid's voice became softer. "Shannon, I know how you are feeling about your brother. It is understandable you want to avenge his death, but you do not have to kill yourself for it. Let us help you, Shannon."

"My brother… … Boone…he…he was always helping me…with stuff, I mean. He was always there."

Sayid nodded and allowed a rest stop so Shannon could lean against him and cry.

* * *

Charlie blinked hard. _Don't look down_, he thought with conviction as he inched himself down the craggy rock wall. It was treacherously slippery and sharp – already his hands were raw and bleeding, along with his knees and elbows – with the narrow rock shore and deadly ocean just a wrong step away. He could feel the strength leaving his limbs, and he was soaking wet from the spray coming from the hissing and crashing sea.

"Careful, Mr. Pace," Sark called from below him. Sark was near the bottom, Melanie in between Charlie and him. She hadn't said anything since the dangerous descent had began, concentration etched in every feature of her face, and her eyes were hard as she struggled silently to keep from falling.

"I know…whoa!" Charlie's bloody fingers slipped and he dropped several, gut-wrenching inches down. He ground his teeth as he used the palms of his hands and his knees to stop himself, tearing off more skin. Blood dripped off the rocks around him.

"Charlie…" Melanie groaned.

Below them, Sark was only a few feet above the thin layer of shore. He let go, landing on the large outcrop of rock, grimacing in pain. His hands, elbows, and knees were in the same condition as Charlie's and certainly Melanie's as well, only he had had to loose his splint to be able to climb down, and now he held his wrist gingerly, eyes darting quickly around the landing spot and toward the cave. He noted the water was rising quickly.

"I'm almost there!" Melanie called, and then swung down from the rock. She then looked expectantly up at Charlie. "You can…maybe jump?"

"I'm not gonna jump!" he said sourly.

"I didn't expect you to," Sark shouted back over the roar of the waves crashing around him. "Just try to get down here before the tide comes in and sweeps us all away."

"Oh…shut up…" Charlie looked down, placing his feet carefully. At long last he worked his way down to the bottom. "Buggar!" he yelped as he slipped on the wet rock-shore.

**Melanie landed next to him, almost gracefully, given what she was up against. "Not gonna jump, eh?" She laughed, though it was a bit strained.**

**"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Charlie grumbled. "You win. Let's go save Claire and Carter."**

**"Aye, aye, Captain," Melanie saluted.**

**Charlie shook his head, smiling slightly. "You're really bloody insane, you know that?"**

**Melanie seemed undeterred by this. "Ah, well, I believe my mum said just about the same thing, actually."**

**

* * *

**

**"We're here," Sark finally whispered, stopping them.**

**"Yeah, well, I think we all noticed that," Charlie whispered back. "But thanks for pointing it out anyway," he added quickly, noticing Melanie's glare.**

**Sark turned to face them. "We need to find a way to get in without anyone seeing us."**

"How are we going to do that?" Charlie asked, disbelieving.

"That's not the point," Sark asserted. "The point is: We don't know what we are up against; how many there are, or what they are, or what they have to use against us. In case you haven't noticed, we are desperately under-prepared."

"I…I could sneak in," said Melanie softly after a moment of silence. "You know, you guys could stay here, and I could go and get a quick look of things. That way if…um…if something is waiting in there or something – don't look at me like that! I can do it!"

Charlie blinked, shaking his head.

"Mel, it's too dangerous," he said firmly. "We go in together."

"Actually, we had better not."

"What?"

Sark gave Charlie a harsh look, motioning for him to keep his voice down.

"Mr. Pace, if we go in there at once and are all captured or killed, who then will know where to find us or how to save us – if we aren't already dead."

"I don't like this…" Charlie persisted.

"Charlie, I can do it." Melanie looked him square in the eyes, and sighed. "I've gotta do it."

"…Okay. Just promise me you'll be careful, and if anything happens, scream, got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure." Melanie nodded her head, her eyes wide. She smiled nervously at Charlie, and then moved her gaze uncertainly over to Sark, who simply stared back. Then she turned and stepped into the cave, crouching against the cool, wet walls. The sharp smell of the sea was less intense inside the cave, and the further she moved into it, the more muffled the roar of the ocean became, although after a few long minutes, she began to feel water seeping through the bottom of her shoes. _Sark was right: This place is a deathtrap!_

Melanie hurried along in almost complete darkness, navigating the cave as quietly as she could. Soon she could look back and no longer see the mouth of the fissure, and it scared her. But she kept on, thinking always of Carter and Claire, Carter and Claire. Their names turned into a chant in her head.

And then, suddenly, she heard voices.

"**We have to kill the boy, Rom," a harsh voice shot angrily. "He'll only tell them about the tower—"**

"**Don't be so loud!" This voice sent a chill down Melanie's spine.**

"**Why the 'ell not?" The first voice cried.**

"**Because there's someone sitting out there listening."**

**Melanie staggered back, horrified. Had she been that loud?** She panicked, crawling backwards on her hands and knees. It was too dark for her to see her original path, so she backed up into a wall and cried out as the jagged rock stuck into her shoulder. A light swung around the darkness, blinding her. She put a hand out in front of her eyes in attempt to ward out the stinging brightness, and then a voice called out to her.

"Now what might a little girl like you be doing in here?"

Melanie, acting instinctively, lashed out one and then recoiled, falling back into the now ankle deep water. The light dropped to the ground. The man she had first heard talk cursed, but the second…the second bent down slowly until his face was level with hers. Melanie shrieked, screaming the first name that came to her mind. And she was surprised at who it was.

"CARTER! CARTER! HELP ME!"

Outside the cave, Charlie and Sark looked at each other the moment they heard the screams. They sounded a far way off, but the cry couldn't have been mistaken.

"Melanie!" Charlie gasped, jumping to his feet, swaying in the ever-rising water. "Well come on!"

He turned around and stared at Sark, who was gazing into the darkness, his expression – Charlie was shocked to find – a bit anxious. "We _have_ to get in there!" Charlie cried, grabbing Sark's jacket. "Well don't just stand there!"

"I wasn't planning on it." Julian seemed to swallow whatever emotions had been troubling him and plunged into the cave, Charlie at his side. Charlie's heart pounded like a rhythmic drum, water flying everywhere around him, drenching him. He heard Melanie's screams suddenly stopped, and a voice rang out through the cave, making his blood run cold.

"When is this going to stop, Mr. Pace?"

Charlie felt hot tears build up behind his eyes when a blinding light was shone into them. "You know you cannot win. Now I ask you; what do you think you can do? Save them? Alone?"

"EHTAN!" Charlie roared, his voice echoing inside the cave, shaking the walls and the black water on the ground.

Beside him, Sark stood poised, barely causing a ripple. He scanned the cave, watching as shadows flicked around the edges of his vision. There was more than one person in the cave waiting – and they were moving in. Soon they would be trapped.

"Mr. Pace," he whispered, but it was as if the man was beyond hearing. He was trembling with rage.

"I KILLED YOU!" he screamed, stomping forward. Sark didn't move. It was obvious he wasn't going to listen anyway. He decided it would be up to him to keep them all alive – let Charlie go on his mad rants for the meantime. "I WATCHED TO DIE THERE!"

"Oh did you?"

"YOU'LL NEVER HURT HER AGAIN!"

"That depends on who you're talking about."

"Charlie!"

Charlie's mouth dropped open when he saw Melanie sitting in the water, holding a dark shadow to her chest.

"Mel - ?"

"Charlie, it's Carter!" she was sobbing, cradling the limp shadow in her arms.

It was all too much.

"What do you want me to do, Ethan?" he asked, crestfallen.

"Leave."

There was a shout from behind him. Charlie spun around to see a gruff-looking man locked in the beginnings of a fistfight with Sark.

"Call him off!" Charlie cried.

"I don't think I will."

"WHY? WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

"Haven't you figured it out _yet_, Charlie?" Ethan's words were harsh, cutting through him like an icy blade. "This is _our _island. You had no right coming here! We were fine until it wanted to take you. But I won't let you stay here, so I'm getting rid of you, one by one. You can't beat me, Charlie. I – _What_?"

"You talk too much," Sark said as he through down the man that had attacked him. "Mr. Pace, I think it's time we quiet him."

"Yeah…" Charlie nodded. "Sorry, Ethan."

Then Ethan laughed. "You can't kill me, Charlie."

"I'll kill you a thousand times, it doesn't matter! But before I do – I'll tell you again: DON'T EVER HURT HER AGAIN!"

**Ethan grabbed Charlie by the neck, pinning him against the wall of the cave. He leaned forward and snarled, "Unless you want your little friend to die, slowly and painfully, you will leave."**

**Charlie's eyes didn't show a speck of fear in them. All they showed were rage and a murderous glint. "Really?" he gasped out. "Somehow I doubt that."**

**Sark pulled out the gun he'd lifted from the bearded man and pressed it against Ethan's head. "Drop him and step aside," he said in his cold, collected manner.**

**Ethan started to turn and Sark pulled the trigger. The bullet exploded from the gun, knocking Sark back with its force. But somehow the bullet had gone astray. The gun had been right on Ethan, but it hadn't hit him. Confusion flashed through Sark's face as Ethan smirked. "No bullet can kill me."**

**Taking this distraction as a blessing, Charlie used the arm that was now free and punched Ethan in the gut as hard as he could. Ethan stumbled back. **

"**Take that, you bleedin' git!" **

**Charlie ran over to Melanie. "Mel, get out of here—I'll get Carter, all right? But get out—"**

"**I'M NOT LEAVING HIM!" Melanie screamed, hysterical.**

"**Melanie! You don't know what Ethan's capable of!" Charlie pleaded. "Please, get out of here before—"**

**A loud bang cut them off. Charlie wheeled around to see who'd been shot.**

**He cried out in horror when he saw Sark kneeling on the ground, clutching his right arm and wincing as blood poured over his fingers. "NO, DAMMIT!" Charlie yelled. **

"**Get them out of here," Sark hissed through clenched teeth. "I will hold them off!"**

"**YOU'RE INJURED, YOU GIT!"**

"**GO!" Sark yelled.**

**Charlie gave him a look, but pulled Melanie to her feet, picked up Carter and started towards the exit. Melanie was sobbing loudly, but Ethan did nothing to stop them. He was busy with Sark. **

**Charlie walked Melanie back about a minute or two from the cave, to a patch of ground that wasn't covered in jagged rocks, and gently laid Carter on the ground. He started to turn back, but was stopped. "Where are you going, Charlie?"**

"**I have to save Claire," Charlie said quietly.**

Melanie stared at him with wide eyes. Charlie wasn't sure she was really there…she looked like she was in shock. It scared him to see her like this. Even though he knew it was pathetic of him, we wasn't sure he could go on anymore. He was tired. He was hurt. He wanted it all to end…_But I have to save Claire._

When he sloshed his way through the now knee-deep water, he saw Ethan standing over something…and realized with horror that he was holding Sark underwater…drowning him.

"GET OFF HIM!"

Charlie charged forward and knocked Ethan away with the brunt of his shoulder, sending a racking pain through his back that he pushed aside and ignored. He reached into the water, searching franticly, until he touched something that felt human, and pulled it up.

Sark gasped and coughed, his burning lungs filling with clammy air. He looked up into Charlie's face, surprisingly unaware that the barrier that had always guarded his face and emotions was gone, replaced by an overwhelming pain in his head and arm.

Charlie heaved him to his feet, staggering from loss of balance as the water surged around his thighs. He looked Julian in the eye and said, "You have to get out of here! Get the bloody 'ell out!"

"Charlie…" The voice was soft, almost like a song, chilling him to the bones. "Charlie I'll give you one last chance to leave now alive."

Charlie and Sark whirled to face Ethan, who was grinning, an inhuman malice shining in his eyes. At that moment Charlie had never felt closer to giving up. He felt heavy and beset, but at last he found his voice.

"What do you want with her? What has Claire ever done to you? _What have we ever done to you_?" The grin vanished from Ethan's face. He opened his mouth as though he were about to reply, but another voice cut through the echoing sounds of water and words: It was Claire.

"CHARLIE!" she screamed his name. Charlie's head spun to the source of the noise: A small inlet in the cave wall he hadn't seen before because of the darkness.

**"Claire!" Charlie ran to the inlet, where he saw Claire. He skidded to a stop, falling onto his knees, and untied her ankles and wrists. Claire threw her arms around him, sobbing into his shoulder. **

"**Charlie—I'm sorry," she cried. "I shouldn't've…I shouldn't—"**

"**Claire, it's fine," Charlie said hurriedly. "We need to get out of here—we can talk on the way back."**

"**Where's Carter?" Claire asked as Charlie helped her to her feet.**

"**With Melanie, outside," Charlie answered, pulling her toward the exit. But Charlie should have known it wouldn't be that simple. Ethan stepped in front of him. **

"**You're not taking her, Charlie."**

"**Like hell I'm not!" **

**

* * *

**

**Melanie sat in the rocks, her knees drawn up, staring hollowly at Carter. His chest was moving up and down, but only slightly. He looked like he'd been shot, which tore Melanie's heart into pieces. **

**It must've been ten minutes since Charlie'd left, and Melanie had never felt so alone. It was too quiet for her, and she found herself jumping at every small noise.**

**She fell over, hitting her head on a rock, when she heard a strangled gasp. She scrambled back up, and upon seeing Carter coughing and gasping for air, cried in relief. "Carter! Oh, God, Carter…I thought you were gone!" she wailed.**

"**Mel…?" Carter coughed.**

"**It's me, Carter, I'm here!" **She grabbed his hand, crying openly as she told him all about what had happened since he had disappeared. "I'm so glad you're okay!" she cried, finished, and then straightened. Her head cleared. "Oh my God…Charlie!"

Carter's expression twisted slightly. "He's still in the cave with Ethan! I have to do something! No…" Melanie shook her head. "I won't leave you, Carter. It's okay…" She leaned over him, keeping him warm, crying silently for Charlie.

* * *

"You're making a very costly mistake, Charlie!" Ethan growled, holding his ground, blocking their way. Claire clenched Charlie's arm and stood behind him. "I gave you a chance but now you have to die." He lifted the gun he had wrenched from Sark. Charlie closed his eyes, pulling Claire close to him, savoring the light touch of her skin and the tickling sensation of her hair on his neck.

_Click!_ Charlie opened his eyes. Ethan was staring at the gun, enraged, pulling the trigger over and over. It wouldn't fire.

"I believe you're out of ammunition," said Sark from a distance off. Charlie couldn't help but smirk, but his joy was short-lived. Ethan scowled, throwing the gun into the water.

"That doesn't matter, Charlie. I can kill you with my own two hands."

He started forward, pushing his way though the water as if it didn't exist at all, while Charlie and Claire stumbled back, the water clasping around their waists as if to hold them in place. Charlie pushed Claire just as Ethan reached him, going immediately for his throat. Charlie tried to stop himself, but he fell, water pouring into his mouth and eyes. But he could still see Ethan. He was underwater too, hovering above him. And then the surface was obscured, and Ethan was wrenched off of Charlie, who clawed for the surface, sucking in air.

Sark had Ethan against a wall, pounding his fist into his face relentlessly for a few moments before Ethan's inhuman strength overpowered him. Ethan coiled up and kicked Sark in the chest, sending him into the water.

Charlie took this advantage to dive forward, catching Ethan around the waist. Sark broke the surface, and charged Ethan, helping Charlie back him up into the inlet, where they held him down, securing Claire's chains around his wrists and legs. In the chains, the water was lapping at his chest. Ethan's eyes grew wide and he writhed and screamed, trying to get free.

Charlie staggered back, and felt a gentle hand on his arm. It was Claire.

"We need to go…" he said, and turned away from Ethan, heading back for the entrance of the cave. Ethan was shouting threats and promises, but they were lost upon him. His head was in a daze…all he knew was the rising water and walking…walking toward the light that was forever growing at the end of the tunnel…

And then he broke into the sunlight. The next part of his journey was a blur…He remembered climbing to the place where Melanie and Carter were…

He remembered Melanie crying and Carter looking up at him…He remembered Claire holding his hand on one side, and Melanie doing the same on the other…

He remembered Sark collapsing on the ground and thought that it was because of exhaustion and the bullet-wound…

He remembered a whisper in his ear…and then he remembered falling gently, a calm warmness accepting him…He remembered thinking he had done it. He had saved her. But then he remembered that things weren't finished yet…And then he remembered no more.

END OF CHAPTER

Lils: OMG! If you guys aren't excited about that chapter I don't know what to think! This has been so much fun! PLEASE REVIEW!


	10. Chapter 10

**Jaye: AH! This is so much fun! Please review! It makes us so happy! And, also, tell your friends to review! **

Lils: Yes, this is fun! Alright, time to reply to our reviewers: WHICH WE WISH WE HAD MORE OF! COME ON! WE NEED REVIEWS HERE!

Lil Aussie Alias Chick: Thanks!

Luthien and Tari Oronar: Glad you like it, and OMG every Wednesdays and Thursdays I turn into some freak who rushes off the bus and even cleans my room so I have nothing – absolutely nothing – to distract me from me and my television!

Dandan2300: Uh…chapter ten was a mistake on my part. I accidentally uploaded somethin' wrong and yata yata…but this is the real chapter ten! ENJOY!

**Jaye: Ahh, Chapter Ten! Celebration! (Throws streamers)

* * *

**

**Chapter Ten**: **Bonfire Stories**

**Melanie looked up when she heard footsteps. Claire was there, looking terrified, and so was Sark. Sark had Charlie thrown over his shoulder, though it looked as if he were pained in doing so, as he had a bullet hole in his arm. **

"**Claire! Are you okay?" Melanie asked, concerned. Claire nodded, though she was looking at Carter, who met her gaze.**

"**Is Carter?" **

**Melanie turned back to Carter. "Are you?" **

**Carter smiled weakly. "Are any of us?"**

**

* * *

**

**Jack sat in the caves, watching over Sydney. She still hadn't awakened yet.** He scanned her face, looking for anything that might give him a clue as to when she was going to wake up. He had heard of cases where the patients never woke up…or stayed in their comas for over ten years. He wondered what he would do if that should happen. He wondered also if he would still be on the island when she woke up – if she ever did.

Jack sighed, and glanced around the caves. It was quiet, he noted. Well, of course it would be since Kate, Sawyer, Shannon, Sayid, Jin, Locke, Michael, Vaughn, and a few others were gone. Off to search for the agents that had nearly killed Sydney and had killed Boone.

He felt a pang in his chest when he thought about Boone. Seeing the body had been horrible…and he had wanted revenge just as much as the next guy. _But no…I'm the doctor. I have to stay here. Just in case anyone else gets hurt…_This wasn't likely. They were more liable to get themselves murdered if anything.

He looked back done at Sydney. "You're lucky," he said to her with envy. "Sleeping all day."

Hours passed. Jack wandered about the caves, pondering over the fait of his friends. Each minute he grew more and more cross and uneasy. Thinking about Claire, Charlie, Melanie, and Carter was hard, but for him, thinking of Kate was harder. Out there…he had no clue what was going on, and it was frustrating. He needed someone to talk to before he went mad.

Leaving Sydney in the caves, confident that she would be okay since she was always sleeping, Jack made the trek down to the beach where he encountered Sun sitting alone in the sand.

"What's going on?" he asked her, sitting down beside her.

Sun smiled at him with effort, hugging her knees to her chest.

"It has been a long time," she said finally.

"Since Jin went out?"

"Yes. I worry about him."

"Oh…I'm sure…I'm sure he'll be alright."

"You worry about Kate?"

"Huh?"

Sun smiled again, this time much more warmly. Jack looked away and fidgeted with the sand.

"What do you think of Charlie?"

Jack was glad for the subject change, but it still wasn't an easy subject. "I…I don't know," he admitted sadly. "Lately things…they…they're not going so well here, are they?"

Sun laughed. "No."

"But…I think we'll see them again."

"You do?"

"Yes, I do. And Jin, too."

**Sun looked at him gratefully. "Yes…"**

"**Jack! Jack!" **

**Jack looked up, seeing a breathless Ana-Lucia come running up. "What happened, Ana-Lucia—?"**

"**They're back," Ana-Lucia gasped. "Melanie, Carter, the British men, and the Australian women, they're back."**

**Jack jumped up. **For the next few minutes he was a blur of motion shooting across the beach. He ran faster than he had ever run before. When he stumbled, he got back up and started running again. His mind was spinning so fast he couldn't order his thoughts, but soon, only one purpose became clear: To get there.

"Where are they!" he yelled over his shoulder to Ana-Lucia, who was struggling to catch up. Sun was further behind her, as was the slowly growing crowd of curious on-lookers who decided to follow.

"Up…There!" she yelled back, pointing. Jack didn't see anything at first, but then he saw the unmistakable form of Hurley and that of five others. His heart jumped with excitement and also of anxiety. He could see people on the ground. In his mind he pleaded: _Please don't be dead. No more. _

He skidded to a stop and looked down with mixed horror and relief.

Melanie sat with her legs crossed, looking exhausted but happy. Her head rested on Carter's shoulder. The boy looked sick. He was very pale and his clothes were soaked and bloody. But he was smiling. Next to him was Claire who had tears running down her face at the sight of him. Charlie sat beside her, looking the worst Jack had ever seen him, but his eyes were halfway opened. And then there was Sark, awake but detached-looking as he stared up at Jack.

Jack had nothing to say; he couldn't speak. Ana-Lucia came up beside him, gasping. There were several long minutes of silence spent just staring at each other.

"Dude, are you okay?" Hurley asked, breaking the silence.

"We need to get them out of the sun," Jack said finally. "Come on, everyone help! Ana-Lucia, I need you to take a party into the forest and find Kate and the others. Tell them to come back."

"Jack…"

Jack bent down to Charlie.

"It's okay Charlie," he assured him. "I'm going to get you into the caves and –"

"Ethan's dead."

Jack started. "I know he is…"

"I killed him again."

"You…?"

Realizing that what Charlie was saying was just a result of shock, Jack set to work, ordering makeshift stretchers and such so that the group could be taken back to the caves.

**

* * *

**

**Kate looked over at Shannon, who was trembling almost unnoticeably. "It'll be okay," Kate assured.**

"**Yeah," Shannon shot, "right. Like anything will ever be okay again."**

**Vaughn seemed to agree with her, but held a finger to his lips. "We have to stay quiet—we need the element of surprise on our side."**

Shannon and Kate nodded. The three walked in silence. The main group had split into groups of three, and then staggered their formation. Vaughn could see Sayid, Locke, and one of the "redshirts" (A/N: Jaye: "Redshirts" are the extras, like Arzt or Scott and Steve or other unnamed people, in case ya don't know) to the left, a little farther up. He knew that Sawyer, Michael, and Jin were lingering a bit farther behind, to the right.

**They had all agreed to stay within line of sight. They had also agreed that if anyone saw the fake agents, they would regroup and surround them. **

**Vaughn had only one thought. Revenge.**

**

* * *

**

"**Hey…Jack?"**

**Jack was sterilizing a needle to sew up Carter's now-clean wounds. "Yeah?"**

"**There's something…that I need to tell you," Carter said hesitantly. "Like, where I was."**

**Melanie, who was kneeling next to the plane seat being used as a stretcher, holding one of Carter's hands, tilted her head. This would be interesting.**

"**Go on."**

"**Well…I saw this…this tower."**

"**Hallucination," Jack supplied.**

"**Was it a hallucination if I climbed up it and got a radio signal?" Carter asked, somewhat annoyed. **

"**You got a signal?" Jack stopped, looking at Carter with eyes filled with hope.**

"**Yeah, for about thirty seconds. Then some git with a knit cap came up…and then…" he gestured to the bullet wound with his free hand. **

"**Did anyone pick it up?" Jack asked.**

**Carter nodded. "Like I said—for about thirty seconds. I sent out a mayday, and I got a copy from someone, asking who I was. I told them that I was a survivor of 815…and then no one answered, or if they did, I didn't hear it."**

**Jack looked mildly disappointed. Melanie just looked shocked. "A man with a knit cap…?" She asked hollowly.**

"…**Yeah."**

**Melanie's eyes watered. "He's the one that…that did this to you?"**

"**Yes…"**

"**He…oh, my God, Carter…" Melanie gasped. "Well…well, you don't have to…to worry about him now. He…he attacked us…and is a bit…a bit…dead."**

**Carter sat up, wincing. "He got you? Mel, I'm sorry…I should've been there to protect you…"**

"**Lay back down," Jack ordered firmly. **

"**No."**

"**Listen to him, kiddo," Hurley said, walking up and tossing Melanie a water bottle.**

**Melanie caught it without looking up, and then returned her attention to Carter's statement. "Don't worry, Carter, I was fine. Sark and Charlie—"**

"**Charlie," Carter shot. "Is he all you think about?"**

**Melanie looked taken aback. "What?"**

"**Eh…I'm finished for now." Jack stood up after finishing the stitches, and hastily excused himself, leaving the two teenagers to sort it out. Hurley followed, sensing that it probably wouldn't be fair to intrude on Mel and Carter's moment.**

"**It's always about Charlie, Mel," Carter said angrily. "Even before the crash! All you talked about was Charlie, and DriveSHAFT, and how much you wished that you could meet him, and all of that crap!"**

"**What's this about, Carter?" Melanie asked, completely and totally confused.**

"**Are you serious?" Carter looked disbelieving. "I swear, Mel, that everyone's had to have seen it but you!"**

"**Could you just explain what the bloody—"**

"**Why don't you just go and ask _Charlie_?"**

"**I will!" Melanie snapped, standing up. "If you're going to be like that, then I'll just let you sulk to yourself!"**

**She turned and stomped off, leaving Carter angry with himself for being an arse. **

**

* * *

**

"**I don't know what the 'ell is problem is!" Melanie was now pacing back and forth in front of Claire, who had her head lying on her fist. Both were on the beach, as Charlie was in no condition for visitors at the moment, and Claire was a bit scared of the jungle at the moment. "He just out of nowhere starts going on about how I don't see something that everyone else does! Then he says 'Why don't you just go ask Charlie' all sarcastic like, and I don't know what the bloody 'ell he's rambling about!"**

**Claire sighed. "He likes you, you know."**

"**Of course he does! We're best friends!"**

"**No…I mean, he _likes _you," Claire elaborated.**

**Melanie stopped in her tracks. She searched Claire's face for a moment. "_What?" _She burst out laughing. "No way—nice try, Claire, but seriously—what do you think he was talking about?"**

"Mel," Claire said gently, reaching for the girl's hands. Melanie looked at her unsurely, fear welling up inside her even though she wasn't sure why. "It's been a long day…for all of us." Claire stroked Melanie's fingers. "You know, when we first landed here, I thought everyone was afraid of me."

"Afraid of you?" asked Melanie, not understanding.

"Because of the baby." Pain flashed in Claire's eyes, and Melanie realized just how important this talk was to have Claire mention her baby. She never had before for what Melanie knew. "But…not Charlie. No…" she laughed quietly to herself. "Wouldn't let me out of his sight, you know, and for a while, I thought he was pretty weird." Melanie smiled at the joke. "But then…when things got hard…he was the only one that came through for me. He risked his life for me…twice, now, and do you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because he loves me."

Tears rolled down Melanie's cheeks, unchecked, and splattered the sand. "You may think Carter's just a friend to you now, but he might want to be something more, like Charlie did."

"But…" Melanie choked on words. It all made sense. Carter had gone off to try to help her – to save her from this place – and all she would talk about was another guy. "I feel so stupid!" she shouted finally, more at herself than anything else.

"Hey, Mel…look at me. So did I."

And then the two women embraced each other, Melanie crying for Carter, and her parents and her friends she had lost and left behind. When that passed, she cried for the joy of being alive. "Thank you," she said to Claire, who also had tears brimming in her eyes. They sat next to each other and watched the sun set, going over the events of the past few days and hoping for a stretch of peace to follow.

* * *

Julian Sark opened his eyes and took a deep breath of fresh air. He sat up and took in his surroundings, turning his head toward voices that were growing closer and louder. He recognized them, hearing Jack and the large man named Hurley. 

Then the group of two stepped into the open. They quieted somewhat when they spotted him, and only then was he aware that he was in the caves, in the "hospital" by the waterfall.

"How's your arm?" Jack asked, bowing his head slightly. Sark gave him a quizzical look, coming up blank for a moment. "Can't feel it yet? That should be fine, then."

He suddenly remembered getting shot, but couldn't complain. Whatever the doctor had done it had eliminated any pain he had felt previously. Looking straight at Jack, he said, "What do we do now?" He stared at the doctor until the man shifted under his gaze.

"Well first thing's first," Jack said finally. "You have to tell us what happened."

"Why not ask Mr. Pace?" Sark did not let it show, but the idea of repeating his encounter with –Charlie had called him Ethan – made him feel slightly ailing.

"Because Charlie's not awake yet, and Claire, Melanie, and Carter don't want to talk about it, and frankly, I don't blame them. So what's the story? What happened out there, Sark?"

Sark looked at the doctor threateningly. "You think I had something to do with this."

"No…not personally. But others might," Jack admitted, taking a seat next to the waterfall. "No offense, but you haven't done a very good job of letting us know who's side you're on. We need to know to protect ourselves."

"If I do not tell you, will you send me off to be tortured again?"

The message was clear enough. Hurley mumbled something like, "Dude..." and Jack sighed.

"You deserved that."

"If I hadn't run, do you think that agents Bristow and Vaughn would have spared me? I am evil to them, even though I have proved myself before."

"Well…maybe that's true…but that still doesn't excuse what you did to Charlie."

Sark fell silent. In the absence of speech, Hurley tried to seat himself comfortably on the ground amongst the rocks, grunting and cursing whenever one pierced his bottom.

Finally, Sark gave in, and began to explain what had come to pass over the past day, starting at when he had outsmarted Sawyer and lost him in the forest. Jack frowned through that part, but when the story extended and Sark explained how Charlie and Melanie had nearly died in the hole, his eyes widened. Sark told of the bearded man he had killed, and of the trek to the shore. He explained the lay of the cave and what they had to go through to get down. He retold how he and Charlie had run in to rescue Melanie, and how the battle inside had turned out. All through his retelling, Jack was silent, and remained silent for several minutes after he finished.

"That can't be true," he said finally.

"Why not?" Sark asked him, curious.

"Because Ethan…died…already."

"Yes, Mr. Pace made that clear enough. And as I told you, when I meant to shoot him, it was as if the bullet dissolved into the air in front of him."

"You could have just missed," Jack supplied. Sark gave him a look.

"I could have missed?" he repeated.

Hurley whistled low, and under his breath he said, "Whoa. Dude…that's not cool."

"**No, it isn't."**

"**Duude…"**

**

* * *

**

**Ana-Lucia ran through the jungle, arm banging painfully against her side. **Her breath came in rapid spurts, her eyes watering from getting whacked in the face so many times with the large, sharp leaves that hung down from trees and grew in around her, suffocating the forest floor. She had several cuts on her face by the time she stopped to rest and listen.

At first she heard nothing but birds, but then, faint voices reached her ears, and she turned toward them. She knew it would be unwise to try to make her way over to them; they could mistake her as an agent and shoot, so she cupped her hands to her mouth and yelled, "Kate!"

After a tense pause, a female voice answered.

"Come out in the open!"

"Kate, it's me, Ana-Lucia!"

Another pause.

"Just come out so we can see you," replied Kate. Ana-Lucia obliged, not about to argue. She fought her way through the thick underbrush until she stepped into a clearing, shaded by a netting of giant tree braches at least a hundred feet above her head. She smiled when she saw Kate standing across from her, the rest of the "hunting party" leaning against trees or sitting behind her.

"Sorry about that," Kate apologized.

"No worries! Now you have to come back."

"What?"

Half of the hunting party groaned and the other half looked relieved. Ana-Lucia scanned their faces, getting ready to burst. Her smile grew broader and she took in a deep breath.

"They're back!"

"Who?"

"Claire, Charlie, Melanie, Carter – " she counted on her fingers, "Sark…They're all back and alive!"

The party exploded in shouts and cheers, and in all the commotion, Kate was the only one who didn't look in high spirits. When the cheers had calmed down, Ana-Lucia tilted her head as Kate pulled her aside. Sayid had taken control of the party, leading them back toward the beach. The only ones that didn't immediately follow him were Shannon and Vaughn, each of them looking disappointed.

"Who…who else did you say? They're all alive?"

"Yeah. Claire, Charlie, Melanie, Carter, and Sark. Why? What's wrong?"

Kate couldn't let her dismay surface, but inside, she felt as though a bomb had gone off. All this time she had been hoping that Sark wouldn't return…it was hard for him to be here, bringing back even more troubling memories. She knew it was terrible to think, but it would have been better for her and for everyone else if he had…hadn't…come back.

"Nothing! I'm glad! So, how's Claire?"

* * *

Shannon and Vaughn hung back, watching the others file out of the jungle. 

"Do we really have to leave?"

"Yes, Shannon. We can't stay here alone."

"But you're a CIA agent!"

"And it's nearly dark."

"Don't you care about what happened to him?"

"I know how you feel about your brother…"

Shannon recoiled, feeling tears well up in her eyes as she stared at Vaughn.

"No you don't! _She_ didn't have a frickin hole shot through her head!" she shrieked.

"Don't you care about the others? They're back – we should – "

"No! I wanted to do this! And if I have to kill them both myself I will!"

Vaughn sighed, fighting to keep his emotions under control.

"Shannon, you can't kill them alone. We can set out again tomorrow…but right now, we need to follow the others and go back to the beach, where it's safe."

"**Safe?" Shannon shot, finding this ironic. "Where are any of us _safe_? Safety died with the plane!"**

**

* * *

**

**Carter stared at the rocky ceiling of the cave. He was furious with himself for telling Melanie off like that. It wasn't her fault that she was totally oblivious, was it? She didn't know how much it hurt him to see her swooning over some other guy that made him look like no competition. **

**He wished that she would come back, so he could apologize. He wished that Jack would let him go down to the beach so that he could apologize. He wished that he could _walk _so he could get to the beach. He wished the plane had never crashed, and they could all be back home, living their merry little lives.**

**But what good were wishes here? They'd get him nowhere. He had to decide his own fate, not rely on some unseen force to grant whatever little thing popped into his head. That wasn't going to happen. He had to make it work himself.**

**He started to sit up, but gasped out in pain from the bullet wound. He lay back down, feeling miserable. _Well, fate can wait one more day…_**

**

* * *

**

**Claire and Melanie were sitting on the beach, talking, when Jack came up and kneeled in front of them. **

"**Hey, I just thought you should know…" he started slowly.**

"**What happened?" Claire asked, looking anxious.**

"**Nothing. Well, something, but nothing…Charlie's awake. He's going to be fine. A little traumatized, but otherwise fine."**

"**Oh, thank God!" Claire sighed. "Can we go see him?"**

**Jack shrugged. "Don't see why not. But—just don't talk really loud, because he's been complaining about a horrible headache."**

"**Okay!" **

Melanie jumped up, elated, but not wanting to seem too eager. She was still mulling over the new idea that Carter liked her. He _liked_ her…But she still couldn't help but feel excited for Charlie.

She and Claire and Jack made their way across the beach and made the hike to the caves in near silence. They were all uneasy since the sun was beginning to set, and in the twilight the jungle seemed even more mysterious and dangerous than before. A bird taking off from a high branch made them all twist their heads and jump. It was a tiring feeling, and one that left them reflection on just how much had changed.

Despite a few stumbles, they made the hike fairly easily, a wide grin spreading across Melanie's face when she saw Charlie sitting up, waving them over.

"Hi Charlie!" she whispered, trembling in exhilaration. Claire echoed her greeting, her face soft and relaxed, her eyes brimming with thankful tears. It was an emotional moment. They all stared at each other's grimy faces, knowing that they in turn shared an experience that no one else would ever understand.

"Hey Mel," Charlie said, sitting up slowly. "Got a bloody massive headache."

"That's what Jack said."

"How are you fairing, kid?"

"Okay…good, I mean." Melanie wasn't sure why talking was so difficult and awkward now. She hadn't had any troubles with it before. Maybe it was just because talking normal was so…not normal, given the current circumstances.

Charlie seemed to understand this. He nodded his head and conversation fell away, leaving the three of them standing around each other, just savoring the peace.

Which, of course, on the Island, didn't last long. Jack came up to them, looking sorry to break their circle as if he understood – which of course, he didn't; he still doubted their stories – and said, "I think we should head back to the beach. Sark and Carter are already there…there's a bonfire being set up for tonight."

"Wha – what do you mean?" Charlie wanted to know. Jack smiled slightly.

"Well, everyone is pretty interested to hear what happened out there, you know."

"Everyone?"

"Yeah…we called them back when you showed back up today. Like I said…they want to know as badly as I do."

Jack started to leave, and Melanie and Claire helped Charlie to his feet. "Oh yeah," said the doctor, turning back around. "John caught a boar today."

"You mean we're having a barbecue?" Melanie laughed, feeling happy for the first time in several days – almost a week. It was a great feeling.

**

* * *

Charlie was able to get back down to the beach with his guitar, though—despite his refusals—Melanie carried it for him, strumming most of the way. **

**So now he sat, playing softly, so that his headache wouldn't murder him. He kept fudging the chords, which was pretty bloody annoying, but he got over it quickly because Claire came and plopped herself down next to him with a makeshift plate full of boar meat. "Happy Christmas," she smiled.**

**He returned the smile, and for the first time in a while, he felt like everything was going to be okay.**

**Melanie stood off to the sidelines, not wanting to ruin Charlie and Claire's moment, but not sure if she was ready to go over to talk to Carter yet. She saw him sitting by himself, staring blankly at the waves, but quickly averted her eyes when he looked over. **

**Thankfully, Ana-Lucia walked past at that moment, and Melanie was able to run up to her. "Ana! Ana-Lucia!" **

**Ana-Lucia stopped, looked over, noted Melanie's presence, and smiled warmly. "Hey, kiddo, how's it going?"**

"**Fine," Melanie said. She paused as Ana-Lucia raised an eyebrow. "OKAY—not fine! Not fine at all!"**

**The whole story spewed out, from them finding Kate and Charlie to her conversation with Claire, only a few hours ago. "And now, and now I don't know what to do!" she cried softly. "I mean—Carter's been my BEST FRIEND for so long, and if we start…if we get closer than that, and it doesn't work out, then it'll never be the same! I wouldn't be able to stand it if I lost him!"**

**Ana-Lucia, who'd listened carefully, nodding and sighing at all the right times, thought this over for a moment. "Well, Mel…what do you want? I mean, if you want to get closer to him…he obviously is totally in love with you, you could see it in his eyes the first day…then you should go for it. Worry about the consequences later…if you like him, then…"**

**Her eyes strayed to Jack, who was laughing and very blatantly flirting with Kate a few yards off. **

**

* * *

**

**Carter was sitting by himself. Again. But this time, he didn't feel so alone, for some reason. He could see that he wasn't the only one sitting alone like a total moron. Sawyer was lying on the beach about a hundred yards off, messing with a sheet of paper. That agent guy, Vaughn, he was by himself. And the terrorist git, Sark. Not that anyone was really willing to go over to him anyway. He had scared—and scarred—too many of them.**

**Carter didn't notice someone behind him until the person coughed. He turned his head slightly, noted who it was, and then turned back, scowling at the waves. **

"**All right then," Charlie said, sounding a bit hurt. He sat down next to Carter, even though he wasn't welcomed at all. There was a moment where neither of them said anything.**

"**Look, mate," Charlie finally whispered. "I'm not trying to take Melanie away from you, okay? I have Claire. I love Claire."**

**Carter glared at him. "You might not be trying…but you took her away before the crash. You know, she sat up and cried her eyes out to me on the phone for hours the day that your stupid band broke up?"**

**Charlie looked pained. He didn't like it when people insulted DriveSHAFT, but he would suck it up in this case. "She's really brave," he continued. **

**Carter sat in stony silence.**

"**She wouldn't give up. She tackled that knit cap guy when he started shooting at us. She really missed you."**

**Carter bit his lip. Maybe Charlie wasn't so bad after all…but no, he was Public Enemy Number One. No forgiveness, no mercy, no prisoners. **

"**I'm sorry, for whatever I did," Charlie shrugged, standing back up. "Oh, God, that was not a good idea…" **

**He swayed for a moment, then fell over, groaning, "Oww…" **

**Carter sighed. "Fine. Stay if you have to," he said shortly.**

After Charlie had stopped his groaning, he grinned a little. "Thought that would work," he said.

"Oh you're so clever." Carter caught himself smiling, and forced his expression back, only making his face look worse. Charlie laughed, knocking him on the shoulder.

"C'mon, have some boar. If you close your eyes and just pretend you have a nice bun, it's almost like eating a cheeseburger…without any cheese, so I guess it'd be a hamburger then, wouldn't it?" In the end, Charlie managed to lead him over to the great bonfire that was now blazing ferociously, the flames pulsating reaching high above their heads. At first he felt somewhat awkward as he picked a spot on the sand, biting into the meet that had been handed to him. Only then did he realize how absolutely starving he was. He tried to think back to the last time he had eaten meat – anything, as a matter of fact – and ended up giving up and just eating to his heart's content. There was plenty of food to go around, for the boar the bald hunter guy had brought back was quite large.

"Hungry?"

Carter looked up, wiping the corner of his mouth and freezing with the back of his hand pressed against his face as Melanie met his eyes. At first he felt remorse toward her, but then glanced around at all of the happy people gathered by the roaring flames and sighed, giving in. Dropping the barriers he had surrounded himself with for so long.

"Does it seem that way to you?"

Melanie laughed and plopped herself down beside him. She noted he looked different. Definitely thinner. And his eyes were different. Still thoughtful, but deeper…and a little more aware of things that normal boys his age wouldn't be. It was a sad transformation, really, but she supposed she looked the same. At least he still sounded the same, and over time as they opened up and spoke to each other as friends, he didn't seem so different. They shared food, sitting close to each other. After a while Hurley came to sit down next to them, and they had fun just talking and being…happy.

After the blaze had subsided into a crackling pit and shadows moved in around the group of survivors, Jack stood up, clearing his throat. He was slightly aware that the stragglers on the beach joined the circle, Vaughn walking stiffly and sitting heavily down on the sand, his arms on his knees. Sawyer filed in next, kicking sticks out of his way and spraying the other survivors with sand, survivors that retorted got even more sand on their dinner. Sark came in last, avoiding eyes and sitting down next to Rose, which Jack thought strange, but pushed it from his mind.

"Ah, first of all…I think we all owe John something for bringing in the boar," he said lamely, uncomfortable in front of all of the people staring at him. "And…uh, I think we all know and are glad to see Charlie, Claire, Melanie, Carter, and…uh…Sark back," – Sawyer huffed as Sark's name was mentioned. Kate stared at the flickering embers as if transfixed – "And speaking of that, I think you're all as interested as I am to know what exactly went on out there."

Nods of agreement. Jack turned his eyes on Claire. "Claire?" He called her to the front. "I…you don't have to speak if you don't – "

"No," Claire shook her head and gave Charlie's arm a squeeze before standing, "it's okay." She took a deep breath and focused on the friendliest face she could find – Charlie's – and found the strength to begin. "I was angry. I went out into the jungle to…just be by myself. I heard someone behind me and…I…saw Ethan." Claire made a feeble hand gesture as gasps shot through the gathering. "I know it sounds…ridiculous…but…he's the last thing I remember before waking up in a cave. My – my wrists and legs were chained. I could see…I could see Carter on the ground below me. I couldn't see anything but an opening above me. I started screaming for someone to find me…and then I heard Charlie's voice coming from the hole. It sounded like he had fallen through or something…and then I heard shouts and I yelled for them. He answered me once and then I think I spoke to Melanie before…before he came back. Then I remember being rescued…and you'll have to have the others fill in the blanks from there."

"I'll go next," said Carter suddenly, surprising everyone.

**He sat up a bit straighter with Melanie's help, seeing as he couldn't stand. "I found a radio tower—don't get excited, I got shot before I could give out a location—and this man with a knit cap came up, shot me, and I guess dragged me off to the caves that we were in. "** He said all this with a rather bland expression, as if the events he were recounting were nothing more than reporting the weather. "And then…I…I don't remember much from then. I mean, after being in that cave for so long I wasn't sure whether…whether it was real or not." Now his words seemed to fill with suppressed emotion, enchanting all the islanders around the fire so that no one, not even Sawyer, made a sound. Only the breath of the trees mixed with the crackling of the subsiding blaze could be heard when he paused for breath. "Just lying there…but I do remember Ethan…and…some of the things he said. Most of it, though, I don't know if I was dreaming or not…but he was angry and scared about something…I don't know what it was." He shrugged feebly; embarrassed that he had gone so far. He allowed himself to lean back and relax against Melanie, trying to avoid the shocked stares of the other survivors. "And then…I woke up here. That's it."

A long and strenuous pause followed the conclusion of Carter's retelling. Finally, Ana-Lucia spoke up, saying, "That was brave of you, kiddo," and Carter's eyes burned, wishing he could take back some of the things he had said. Melanie patted his shoulder. Finally, Sawyer snorted, tossing his hair to the other side of his forehead.

"So…Jungle-Stalker's still out there, is he?"

The comment earned him many sharp glances from several people, but he only laughed them off, refusing to submit to mangers. Charlie, however, smiled.

"Not anymore, he's not."

"How can you be so sure?" Ana-Lucia wanted to know.

"Well," Charlie began, eager to tell his part, "Mel and I set out to look for Carter and Claire when they disappeared. We walked for a long time…I think days maybe, but I'm not sure…and then we were walking across this clearing when I went and fell into a bloody hole!" Gasps from the crowd. "After Mel and…Sark…pulled me out – "

"Wait, you mean to tell me that _that_ son of a gun went out to save _you_?" Sawyer scoffed, eyes narrowed toward the corner where Sark sat next to Rose.

"People can change, Sawyer," Rose said softly. All Sawyer did was laugh.

"_Right_. Tell me that when he tries to gut us all in our sleep."

Sark said nothing, but seemed taken aback and uncomfortable by Rose defending him.

"Anyway…" Charlie went on, "After I got pulled out of the hole we heard voices, and figured it was Claire." He took a deep breath, obviously trying to hold back the memories of hearing her voice echoing from the bottom of that dark, hopeless pit. He coughed into his fist and skipped past the conversation that went on between them, Claire holding his arm tightly, her eyes half-closed. "Uh…and then we ran into that sodding knit-cap guy…Sark shot him…and then we headed for the coast."

Charlie then went on to tell how the three of them had climbed down onto the treacherous slab of rock-shore, and then Melanie took over from there for a moment.

"I went into the cave and heard voices. Some guy was talking to another guy he called Rom. It was really Ethan…he threw me over by Carter…And then Sark and Charlie came in. Sark tried to shoot him once but it didn't hit him. There was a big fight…I was scared…and Charlie told me to take Carter and run. I didn't want to…but I did. Carter and I went to the place above the rock outcrop and…I don't know what happened next in the cave."

"I heard Claire," said Charlie slowly, entranced in the dying blaze of the bonfire. "And then…we overpowered Ethan – " His lip curled at the name, " – and locked him up."

"What does that mean?" Kate asked.

"The cave was a death-trap," said Sark, startling many. "That man drowned there after trying to kill us."

Silence met his words.

"But…" Claire started up again, "then we were okay. Somehow we made the hike back and ended up at the beach. All of us…you know, I really can't believe it, and never would have had it happened to someone else."

"Why us?" Charlie asked, triggering laughter as the party took up again.

* * *

"Charlie?" Claire called to him. Charlie rolled over to, their faces inches apart. 

"Yes, love?"

"I…just thought of something."

"What?" Charlie sensed something in her voice, and frowned. "Claire, what?"

"There were two men in the cave."

"Yeah, Ethan and – " He froze, horrified.

"Sark didn't kill him, did he?"

"I…don't…know…"

It was too terrifying to imagine that they had made such a huge mistake. Too horrible to think that they were still in danger…but then again, as long as they wereon the Island, they would always be.

The trees whispered overhead, shivering in the cool night air.

* * *

END OF CHAPTER

* * *

Lils: Wow, this is like the longest chapter yet! Review please! This is so much fun! 

**Jaye: Actually, I don't really think that this is the longest chapter, Lilsers. Pretty close though. Review people, because we're working really hard on this, and it's depressing to see how no one is really reviewing a lot! (Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, because you all make us very happy!)**

Lils: It's not Lilsers!


	11. Chapter 11

Lils: AHH! WE ARE BACK AND UPDATING! NO WE ARE STILL ALIVE! But notice. There are only three reviews for the last chapter. Thank you to those people, and I know I haven't updated in forever because I just got over being grounded for like, two weeks…and plus all the days I didn't have time…but come on! Please review!

Luthien and Tari Oronar: Thanks a whole bunch!

Charlielover28: Don't be shy! Thanks for the comment; it's really great you decided to review! Now if we could get those other turtles out of their shells…

Give-in-to-love: Uhh…Boone a negative blood…erm…I dunno. Thanks for the review!

Chapter eleven: Love and Tragedy

* * *

Vaughn struggled through a dream, half awake, half asleep. He could feel his head on the cool, hard rock of the waterfall, but then again the waterfall spinning, thick blue liquid pouring down the edges. The water poured faster, the sound rushing into his ears. Faster and louder until…

He sat up, suddenly fully awake. At first he wasn't sure where he was, but then it all came back to him. The helicopter crash, the Fake Agents, and then…Sydney. He pulled himself to his feet, frowning as his head throbbed and spun. He put his arms out on the rock slab Sydney was lying asleep on, and closed his eyes, hoping that when he opened them, she would be looking up at him.

**He got the shock of his life when she was.

* * *

**

"**Sydney's awake!"**

"**The agent's back!"**

"**DUDE! That rocks!"**

**Jack strode into the makeshift hospital, seeing Vaughn and Kate both crying in joy. **

Vaughn spun in circles, breaking away from Kate and putting his hand to his forehead, completely overwhelmed. He stared down at Sydney, who was now looking around in a muddled confusion, and decided he could not contain himself. He grabbed her hands and pulled her into his chest, crying openly and spouting off everything that had been locked up inside him.

"I was so scared! Syd, I swear, I didn't mean – with Lauren – I almost died when I thought you were dead! And now…Syd…are you okay? Syd, can you hear me?"

Vaughn pulled out of the hug, holding her back at arm's length. For a horrifying second, he thought he recognized the look on her face. "Syd, do you remember?" He felt his stomach plummet, feeling a sudden urge to throw up the fish he had eaten for breakfast. "Syd…"

And then – Vaughn decided through God's grace – Sydney smiled weakly, tears leaking from her eyes. She jumped forward, back into his arms and whispered, "What a dream."

Vaughn laughed and cried and laughed some more, Sydney laughing and crying along with him. When his eyes finally cleared of tears and Jack was allowed to step in to check on Sydney, Vaughn gravitated to the front of the crowd that had gathered around the caves, stepping beside Kate, who was biting her curved finger, tears spilling silently down her face.

"I'm happy for you," she said. Vaughn beamed. Never had he felt so relieved. Hurley gave him a pat on the back that nearly sent him sprawling, and he came up laughing. He watched beside Kate as Jack preformed a check up on Sydney, looking into her eyes and testing her reflexes. When she was finally permissible to try her legs, he ran over to help steady her.

"How long was I out?" she asked as she took her first wobbling step, nearly falling over. Vaughn grabbed her elbows to keep her up, grunting and cracking up again. He had never been so out of control with his emotions, and he wasn't about to regain control anytime soon.

"I don't know…" he admitted, then shrugged. "A long time."

Syd's expression was rigid with concentration as she studied her walk, getting it down after a few minutes. "I…remember…Nadia and Weiss," she said slowly, tearing up again. "There's something you should know about them, Vaughn, they're not – "

"The real Weiss and Nadia? We know."

Vaughn led Sydney over to the waterfall where they could sit down. After a few moments of just looking into each other's eyes – Vaughn realized how much he had missed seeing her eyes – before Syd took a deep breath and asked, "What's happened since I've been asleep?"

Just as Vaughn was opening his mouth to speak, Jack came into the area, looking concerned about something.

"Sydney, I really think you should be getting some rest," he advised.

"Why?" Sydney retorted. "I've been asleep this whole time."

Jack, knowing already that it was useless to argue with her, just smiled.

"In that case, here's option two: Join us at the beach – there's still some boar from last night."

Sydney and Vaughn looked at each other, and Sydney giggled, giving him a kiss, which he returned, feeling whole again. Jack smiled and looked at his feet. "Right," he said, "just come on down when you're ready."

"Okay, but that might be a while," Sydney replied, leaning her head against Vaughn's shoulder and giving the doctor a wink, sending him off muttering to himself something about, "Agents…"

* * *

It was dim in the jungle, a sort of pale green light falling around Kate's shoulders as she walked along the roughly trodden path, the caves behind her. She had barely set out, walking slowly on purpose as to allow Jack to catch up with her if he wanted before she was stopped.

"Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"Is Agent Bristow really awake?"

Kate stopped her trek to the beach, shifting the pack on her shoulder and fixing Sark with a steady gaze. Her face showed no emotion, but her eyes were burning fiercely. She fought with herself over the urge to slug him in the face, but knew that would be wrong because, after all, he had already told everyone how he had helped in saving Claire and Carter, which made her sick.

"I know why you went after them," she hissed.

"So she is – "

"That's not what I'm talking about and you know it," Kate snarled. "You thought you'd get the others off your back by playing the hero, but it won't work on me."

Sark met her eyes with the same cool defiance he had always managed to uphold when facing her, even when she had a gun to his face – which she had at one time – he still managed to stare her down. Maybe he thought she didn't have the guts to pull the trigger.

"Next time it'll be different," she said softly. Sark seemed to know what she was thinking.

"There won't be a next time, Agent Austen," he said, and turned his back on her, following the others to the beach. Kate felt her face turn red, clenching her fists. She was so enraged she didn't notice Sawyer as he came up behind her, giving her a bump on the shoulder as he lumbered pass. Then he turned around and smiled.

"Pick up the pace, Freckles, or get outta the middle of the road."

"_Don't_ try me Sawyer I am not in the mood."

"**Well, Freckles, what mood are you in, then?" **

**Kate narrowed her eyes, and walked on.**

"**Aw, c'mon, Freckles, don't be like that!"**

"**I'll be however I feel like being," Kate snapped, not even bothering to turn back. After a moment, she realized that Sawyer had turned back, grumbling something about PMS, which made Kate's mood even fouler.

* * *

**

**Melanie bit her thumbnail as she stood on the shoreline, letting the salty water flow over her small feet. Ana-Lucia had said, _get what you want. _But what _did _she want? To just be friends with Carter, now that she knew that he…_liked _her? Or move on to something more?**

**She closed her eyes, wondering what to do. And then it hit her. Hazel eyes determined, she strode over to Carter.**

She stopped in front of him, and placed her hands on her hips.

"I want to know," she said.

Carter, who had been trying to patch up the toe of his shoe with some cloth, looked up, squinting in the sunlight.

"What?"

"I want to know…" She bit her lip. "I want to know what you think."

"About what?"

"About everything!" Melanie dug her toe into the sand. "About this island…and…about me." She said the last bit softly, blushing.

**Carter was silent for a moment. "Mel…I…" **

**He looked flustered, like he didn't know how to say what he wanted to. He stammered for a moment in a very un-Carter-like manner, and then sighed. "Mel, I…I…"**

At that moment, an uprising of commotion drew the two kid's attention to the edge of the beach. Carter gave Melanie a pained look, got up, and said, "I'm gonna go check it out," leaving Melanie standing with tears in her eyes. She crossed her arms, and stared angrily out at the ocean for a time before she had compressed her emotions and felt sure enough to walk over and see what was going on. As it turned out, she was lucky she did. She hadn't seen so many people smiling and happy since…well…_ever_ on the island.

"What's going on?" she asked the nearest happy person, which just happened to be the little kid's dad – the kid's name was Walter…but everyone just called him Walt – Michael. Michael turned to her, and announced that the agent woman was awake. Melanie managed a subdued smile, not sure what this news meant, or if she should be so happy for the agent guy Vaughn. She saw him walk out of the forest with Sydney leaning on him, smiling, and thought, _"That could be me and Carter,"_ if only Carter would open up to her.

After a while, the group surrounding the agents ebbed away as people went out to nibble on their lunch – left over boar. Melanie decided she wasn't very hungry and sought out to find someone to talk to, finally running into Charlie.

"Hey," he said, happy to see her.

"Hey."

"Uh-oh."

"Uh-oh what?"

"Somebody's not very happy."

Melanie turned red. "How do you know?" she asked.

"Come on, I know that face. What's bugging you?"

Melanie was just about to tell him about her attempted talk with Carter, but Claire just happened to find her way over, and sat next to Charlie. The two of them promptly entered a conversation.

Melanie sighed, glancing around, and noticing that almost everyone had been paired. Shannon and Sayid, Charlie and Claire, Sun and Jin…and even Walt had his dog. Melanie was just thinking that she was the only one who didn't have a sure somebody when she saw Kate stomp by, looking close to tears.

Out of curiosity, she followed Kate to a secluded cove of the island, and held back as Kate knelt by the water and wiped her eyes.

"Kate?" she said quietly.

Kate stiffened and looked back at her, eyes hard at first, but then she smiled as she realized who it was.

"Melanie…what…what are you doing out here?"

Melanie shrugged.

"I was just…thought I'd follow you. I dunno. Sorry, I'll leave – "

"No, that's okay. Come sit by me." Kate patted the sand. Melanie smiled and took a seat. They were quiet for a long time it seemed, just watching the waves.

"What's wrong?" Melanie asked finally. Kate took a long time to answer, but that was okay. It felt normal, like everything in the cove went slower, even time, even the breeze. It was quiet, so quiet it was as if you could hear the trees of the forest behind them growing.

"_Men_," Kate answered at last, with a small smile.

"Oh?"

"Yeah…it's…hard to be a woman out here, isn't it?"

"Yeah…" Melanie laughed. She hadn't talked about things like this with anyone but Ana-Lucia, and talking to Kate felt different and refreshing. "Is it Sark?"

Kate's features tightened and she nodded silently. "Do you know why they came?" Melanie was referring to the agents. Again, Kate nodded, but it seemed as though she refused to talk about that, so Melanie changed the subject. "And…and Sawyer?"

"Oh don't get me started on Sawyer," Kate groaned.

"I know what you mean. He seems positively boorish."

"Does he?" Kate sounded interested.

"Yeah…"

"How so? Because he's different?"

"I…" Melanie was stumped. "Do you know something about him?"

"I do."

That got Melanie thinking, but before she could say anything, Kate started talking again. "He's only like that because of something he did in the past. A mistake that changed his whole life…that separated him from everyone he had loved…he became the person he hated."

Melanie stared at Kate, who turned and looked her in the eyes. "Just like I did."

* * *

**Meanwhile, everyone else was at the beach, talking and laughing. A relieved air surrounded them, and everyone was happy. Except, of course, for Sawyer, Sark, and Carter. **

**Carter was remembering a television show that Melanie had loved before the crash—probably because she looked almost exactly like the main girl. What was the name of it? Oh, right, Instant Star. The main girl, Jude, was funny and quick witted and talented, and her dorky best friend, Jamie, was totally in love with her. But Jude was too oblivious to realize it. And Jamie denied it. **

**With a bitter thought, Carter thought about how much the show was like his life. Melanie was the beautiful, talented girl that was under appreciated by most, and Carter was the loser best friend that no one ever, ever thought about. And the competition was a has-been guy from a band that died a long, long time ago. Joy. Carter sighed. **

**He knew he should just come out with it. But he didn't know how. Didn't know whom to ask. No one really knew Melanie here; no one knew how she would react. No. One person did. But that was crazy. Carter refused to do it. **

**With a bitter sigh, Carter came to the conclusion that it was the only way. **

**He swallowed his pride and started the search for Charlie.**

He found him, and by grace, he was sitting alone. If Claire had been there he probably would have high-tailed it before anyone saw him…but thankfully, no one was there. Charlie looked up at him, and waved a hand in a cautious greeting. "O'ye," he said.

"Melanie's not around…is she?"

"Uh…" Charlie looked around as if he had lost someone. "She was here a while ago…"

"That's okay," said Carter, and sat down across from Charlie, legs crossed.

"So, what's your troubles, young grasshopper?"

Carter laughed. He was so nervous it just came spilling out, and he felt like an idiot afterward. Charlie, however, smiled politely and waited for the nervous laugh to go by, leaving Carter gasping.

"Troubles?" he wheezed crossly. "Ah…girls."

Charlie nodded. "Not my best field…" he muttered with a little wink. "Is it Melanie?"

"Mmm."

"Well, chap, what if I told you I have no idea how to help you?"

Carter's eyes widened, shocked.

"What? How can – "

"The last time I tried to get along with a girl I ended up ruining my life…and hers…and chucking in a copier machine." Charlie laughed sadly while Carter grimaced. "And you know what else, mate? No one else knows how to help you, either. We're all on our own, here, because you know what? Girls think we're the cause for all their problems."

"Oh…" Carter hadn't been expecting such an answer. Charlie laughed, clapped him on the shoulder, and stood up, brushing the sand off his pants.

"Don't fret, mate. You'll figure it out. Sooner or later. But hopefully sooner, eh? But…then again…we might have all the time in the world on this island."

"Alright…" Carter said just to make him stop rambling. "Thanks, Charlie."

"Don't mention it."

"Where…where are you going?"

Charlie stopped and squinted in the sun. "You know, I really don't know," he said before walking off, humming a song to himself. Carter picked up a handful of sand and let it blow out of his fingers toward the forest. Just looking at the jungle made him shiver with unease, but it also captivated him, almost like it was pulling him in.

* * *

Sark knew it was bad. Having Sydney back was going to be…a challenge. He knew she did not trust him one bit and would never fall for his attempts to win the others' trust.

But he knew he couldn't just disappear again. He had to stick with the group and play off their weaknesses. The thing he noticed was the survivors had a system, almost like a social pyramid where certain people had certain jobs.

At the top, he noted, were the ones important to overall survival. The doctor was probably at the top of the list, along with the hunter, Locke, who although had power by fear, didn't seem to have much trust. And Sawyer, who had the guns. And also the Agents.

Then there was middle class. The hard-workers and the "in" group. Kate, Sayid, Michael, Jin, and even Hurley were a part of this group. They went on all the little explorations and took charge in tough situations.

The bottom section of the pyramid was a little more complicated. It contained the red-shirts, whom he didn't care about, but also the weak, like the children. They had no power, but were highly protected.

Looking back on his pyramid, Sark decided it would be most effective to upturn the order of things by causing a revolt against the higher levels of authority. He had seen it done before, and had an idea how to cause pandemonium.

He couldn't help but smile smugly to himself as he stashed the precious bottles of water and a few choice shelter items in plain view of Jack's workstation at the "hospital". When he was finished, he made his way back to the beach, where the sun was setting, only to be stopped roughly by Sawyer as he passed.

"Wonderin' where you went off to."

Sark kept his gaze level, determined not to make the southern man more suspicious. "What were you doin' back here, huh? Cuz I'm mighty curious to find out."

"Well, you know what they say," Sark said light and conversationally. "Curiosity…though tempting, usually gets one killed."

"Am I supposed to take that as a threat?"

"Perhaps you should, or perhaps I should be wondering what are doing out here? I heard from a few on the beach that you have quite the stash of stolen – "

"_Don't_ go runnin' your mouth about things you don't understand, son," Sawyer warned. "I was just followin' you to make sure you don't cause anymore trouble."

"Well I just wanted to make it clear that you don't have to worry about me, Mr. Sawyer."

Sark walked past him, onto the beaten path back to the beach, a satisfied smile on his face while Sawyer stared after him, confused and angry.

* * *

"**They're baaack…" Sydney said quietly, looking towards Jack. Jack's head snapped over to where Melanie and Kate came walking up, laughing and talking. He walked over to Kate. **

"**Hey."**

"**Hi," Kate replied. **

**Melanie giggled, then said, "Yeah, I'll leave you two alone…" **

**She walked off, back towards the beach. **

"**So, how's Sydney?" Kate asked.**

"**Good," Jack nodded. "For what happened to her—well, I guess that I can't say that there's no miracle medicine anymore."**

**He smiled warmly, which Kate couldn't help but return.

* * *

**

"**Hey—Mel!" **

**Melanie stopped, looking over her shoulder to see Carter come limping over to her. She smiled awkwardly, which broke Carter's heart. _Great botch job, _he thought sourly. **

"**Mel…I wanted to talk to you…"**

**Mel's eyes took on a slightly hopeful, but wary glint.**

**Carter took a deep breath. "Melanie…we've…we've been friends for a long…for a long time…aw, screw it!"**

**He drew level with her and kissed her. She stiffened in shock, having not expected this. He stepped back, looking away. This was it. She would either run off screaming or slap him, either way disgusted.**

"**Carter?"**

**He glanced back at her. She had tears leaking from her eyes, but she was smiling widely, both with her mouth and her eyes. She hugged him tightly, resting her head on his shoulder. "Love you."

* * *

**

"**TOLD YOU!" Charlie mouthed to Claire, looking triumphant. **

**Claire pressed a hand over her mouth to keep from letting the giggle in her throat come out. "Yeah, you did," she mouthed back. "Now let's go…they can have their privacy now…"**

**The two silently walked back to the caves, grinning stupidly at everyone who passed.**

"Wow," said Charlie, running a hand through his hair.

"What?" Claire giggled.

"Well…I dunno, it's just sort of weird."

"It's just puppy love, Charlie," said Claire. Both were unaware that their walk had slowed almost to a stop. They were both lost in each other's eyes. And before they knew it, they had stepped together and shared a passionate moment. A light breeze picked up around them, smelling sweet and refreshing in the fading sunlight.

"Claire Littleton," said Charlie after a few long seconds, "I do believe I'm in love with you."

"Yes well, Charlie…" Claire was smiling so wide she could barely speak. She wanted only to laugh, and eventually, she couldn't hold it in anymore. Charlie held her hands and they both laughed until their sides ached and they stumbled to a comfortable spot on the beach, panting. They lay together staring at the sky for a long time before either of them spoke again.

"Do you think…that this was supposed to happen, Charlie?" Claire asked.

"What do you mean, love?"

"That to be happy…really happy…we had to be here?"

Charlie never answered her. Claire understood, grabbing a hold of his hand and falling into a deep, happy sleep.

All around the island others were doing the same. The fire had died down considerably, and it had grown a bit chilly away from the flame. Melanie told Carter she was off to the caves and to come whenever he was ready. She made her way alone down the path and found a comfortable spot on a bed of leaves to lay her head and sleep.

Only, her sleep didn't last long, or so it felt like.

**A hand clamped itself over her mouth, and Melanie's eyes snapped open, pupils retracting. She saw a flash of a needle, felt a sharp pain in her forearm, and then everything went black. **

**She didn't feel herself being carried through the jungle. She didn't hear the soft voice whispering, "Oh, Alex, I finally have you back…my daughter…my sweet, sweet child…"

* * *

**

**END OF CHAPTER

* * *

**

**Jaye: Well, was that unexpected or what? ((beams)) Well, Lils said that it is MY TURN to have a conversation with one of the LOSTies! So, here we have…**

**Sawyer: What the 'ell am I doin' here?**

**Jaye: ((smiles)) HIYA SAWYER!**

**Sawyer: …What the 'ell am I doin' here?**

**Jaye: HERE'S A SAWYER, THERE'S A SAWYER!**

**Sawyer: ((leaves))**

**Jaye: AND ANOTHER LITTLE SAWYER!**

Lils: You are a frickin _crazy_ bunch o' rednecks, you know that, right? ((ducks as Jaye is no doubt about to loose her head)) REVIEW!


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